CA2216407C

CA2216407C - Facsimile machine and communication result notifying method

Info

Publication number: CA2216407C
Application number: CA002216407A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Kumi Okada; Kiyoshi Toyoda
Original assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems Inc
Current assignee: Panasonic System Solutions Japan Co Ltd
Priority date: 1996-04-04
Filing date: 1997-03-18
Publication date: 2001-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2017-03-18
Also published as: DE69727511T3; DE69727511T2; JP3523268B2; US20020018237A1; DE69727458T2; US6088125A; US7245393B2; WO1997038523A1; KR100267436B1; EP0848539B1; CN1185883A; EP1267561A1; DE69727511D1; DE69727458D1; US6307643B1; EP0848539A1; CA2216407A1; US6876462B2; EP1267561B1; EP0848539A4

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.

Description

~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 "

SPECIFICATION

FACSTMTT.Ti', MACHINE AND COMMUNICATION RESULT

NO'l'l~'YlNG METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a communication result notifying system which notifies the tr~n.~mi~sion result of repeated f~c.~imil~ data or the process result of print data, received via a LAN, to the e-mail addresses of a fac~imile tr~n.qmi.~sion requesting node, a print requesting node and a m~n~ger node.

BACKGROUND ART

Popular is a system in which a printing machine and a facsimile m~l hin~ are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), and a personal computer connected to the LAN can request the printing m~(~hine and the f~ imil~ m~ hin~ to execute printing and f~c~cimile tr~n~qmi~ion.

In this system, typically, the printing m:~hine and f~imil~
machine execute and terminate respective processes requested by the personal computer. When out of paper, paper jam or the like occurs, an alarm message is displayed on a display section of the printing m~hine or the f~cimil~ machine. There is a f~ imil~ m:~-hin~ equipped with a function to provide a fac~imile output (printout) of alarm information. A
requester who has requested, through a personal computer, the printing m~chin~ or the fac.qimil~ m:~r.hine to perform printing or f~qimil~
tr~n.smi.qsion considers that the process has been terminated properly unless an alarm message is displayed on the display section.

FIG. 24 shows the network structure of a LAN to which a printing 5 m~3~.hin~ and a fac.qimile m~hine are connected, and FIG. 2~; shows the functional blocks of a conventional printing m~(-.hin~. A printing m~(~.hin~
210, a personal computer 211 and a network connection type f~c.qimilf~
machine (hereinafter called "NETFAX") 212 are connected on a LAN 213.

The printing machine 210 has a CPU 221 for performing the general control of the m:~chine, a ROM 222 where a program is stored, a RAM 223 which the program uses as a work area, a printer section 224 which executes a printing process with a printer protocol of an LPD or the like, and a LAN interface section 22~ which e~-~.h~nges print data on the LAN.

The NETFAX 212 has a FAX section which executes tr~n.qmi~q.qion 15 and reception processes on print f~.qimile data in place of the printer section 224. Hereinafter, an information processing terminal through which a requester requests the NETFAX or the printing m~chin~ to do fa~qimile tr~nqmi.qsion or a printing process is called a requesting node.
The personal computer 211 becomes a requesting node.

The requesting node 211 makes a request on a print.ing process to the printing m~.hine 210, and the printing m~l7hine 210 which has received the request acquires print data via the LAN 213 and prints it. Further, the requesting node 211 request the NETFAX 212 to execute f:~.qimill?
tr~n~qmi~ssion and send f~qimil~ data via the LAN 213, and the NETFAX
212 sends the f~c~qimil~ data by f~c.qimile to another f~csimile m~(~hine 5 designated by the telephone number via a public telecommunication network (PSTN).

According to the above-described prior art, however, unless the requester directly goes over to where the NETFAX is located and checks its display section after the requesting node 211 has made a request of 10 f~ qimil~ tr~mqmi~qsion to the NETFAX 212, it is not possible to know if the fac~qimile tr~n~qmiq~qion has been terminated properly.

Even when a message indicative of abnormality is printed out from the NETFAX, there is a time lag from the point of the request of f~l~qimil~
tr~n.qmiq~qi- n to the point at which the message indicating abnormality is 15 printed out and returned. Therefore, it is probable that the requester would not been informed of the event that f~qimile tr~n.qmi~qsion has not been made properly for a long time.

There is a case where f~c~qimil~ tr~n~qmi~qsion having been done should be reported to more than one supervisors besides the requester who 20 has requested the f~csimil~ tr~n.qmi.q.qion. In such a case, it would be troublesome to report the result of fa~.qimile tr~n.qmi.qsion to each supervisor or leave a memo describing the result of fac.qimile tr~nqmi.qsion to an absent supervisor.

The same inconvenience as would occur in the case of facsimil~
tr~n~mi.ssion also occurs in the case where the requesting node 211 makes a printing request to the printing m~l~hine 210.

In the case of a printing process, when the print data one has requested is not printed for a long time even with no alarm message displayed on the main body, even if it is a print queuing mode due to heavy queues, the status cannot be known unless it is checked by a queue check command. This requires a trouble of going over to the printer and l 0 checking it over and over again with intervals.

Further, since all abnormalities are not displayed on the display section, even when there is a result which one wants to know immediately though it is not displayed on the display section, he may not be able to find out it until the problem is overcome forcibly by reactivation or the like.

l 5 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the conventional problems and provide a f~ imile m~.hine and a communication result notifying method that allow a NETFAX or a printing machine to promptly notify the process result of a f~ imile tr~n.~mi~sion 20 process or printing process requested via a LAN, to a requesting node or a mz~n~ger node which has requested the not.ifi(~ti-n of the process result, and that can make efficient the work of notifying the result of a process requested via a network.

According to this invention, a f~qimil~ m~.hin~ for tr~n.qmitting fa( .qimil~ data, received via a LAN from a requesting node, to a destination 5 specified by the requesting node, by f~c~qimile, comprises an acquisition section for acquiring f~çqimile data sent on the LAN from the requesting node from the LAN; an extraction section for obt~ining an e-mail address of ~ notification destination node, to which a process result of f~c.qimilf~
tr~nqmiqsion is to be notified, from the acquired f~c.qimile data; a detection 10 section for detecting a process result of a tr~n.qmi.qqi-)n process performed on the facsimile data; and a notification section for notifying the detected process result to the e-mail address of the notification destination node by e-mail.

According to this invention, a printing m~hin~ for printing print 15 data, received via a LAN from a requesting node, comprises an acquisition section for acquiring print data sent on the LAN from the requesting node from the LAN; an extraction section for obt~ining an e-mail address of a notification destination node, to which a process result of a printing process is to be notified, from the acquired print data; a detection section for 20 detecting a process result of a printing process performed on the print data;
and a notification section for notifying the detected process result to the e-mail address of the notification destination node by e-mail.

According to the thus constituted f~csimile m~hine and printing machine, as a notification e-mail address can be identified from received data, the result can be notified by e-mail in both cases where the result of fa~qimil~ tr~n~qmi.q~qion or a printing process is normal and abnormal. The 5 one who requests a tr~n.qmission process or a printing process can know the result on the site. It is also possible to ~liminz~te a wasteful work of going over to the f~qimile machine or printing machine and checking it over and over again.

The f~r.qimile m~hine according to this invention comprises an 10 accumulation section for accum~ ting plural pieces of f~ simil~ data acquired from the LAN; a table for storing e-mail addresses of notification destination nodes, extracted from the f:~c.qimil~ data, in association with the f~.qimil~ data as extraction sources; and a function for acquiring an e-mail address of a notification destination node associated with f~c.qimil~ data 15 whose process result has been detected, from the table and notifying it to the notification section.

The printing machine according to this invention comprises an accumulation section for accumulating plural pieces of print data acquired from the LAN; a table for storing e-mail addresses of notification 20 destination nodes, extracted from the print data, in association with the print data as extraction sources; and a function for acquiring an e-mail address of a notification destination node associated with print data whose process result has been detected, from the table and notifying it to the notification section.

According to the thus constituted f~c.qimil~ machine and printing machine, in the case where there are a plurality of requesters who request 5 fa~simile tr~n.smission or a printing process and there are plural pieces of data to be received, process results of individual data can individually be notified to notific~tion e-mail addresses added to the respective data, so that a process requesting side can obtain only the result of the process it has requested. Further, one process requester can request a plurality of 10 data processes and a file name can be notified in addition to the process result, so that it is possible to know which process has been terminated properly and which process is abnormal on the site.

The f~c.simile m~.hin~ according to this invention comprises an extraction section for extracting process result items notifiable to the 15 notification destination node from f~c.simil~ data obtained from the LAN;
and an instruction section for, if an item m~trhing with a detected process result is included in the process result items, instructing the notifying means to notify that process result to the notifi~t.ion destination node.

The printing m~(-hin~ according to this invention comprises an 2 0 extraction section for extracting process result items notifiable to the notification destination node from print data obtained from the LAN; and an instruction section for, if an item matching with a detected process ~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 result is included in the process result items, instructing the notifying means to notify that process result to the notification destination node.

According to the thus constituted fa~.qimile m~-.hine and printing machine, the type of result information which can ensure notification is 5 identifiable from the received f~.qimile data or print data, in addition to a notification e-mail address, so that the result can be notified only when it matches with the result of the tr~n.qmiqqion process or printing process. A
process requesting side can dyn~mic~lly designate the type of result information which it wants to be notified upon occurrence.

In the case where the process result items extracted from the f~ .qimil~ data include an item queued for trZ~nqmi.qsion, when a f~qimil~
tr~nqmi.qsion queue state is detected, the fzl-~..simile m~ .hine according to this invention notifies attribute infor~nation including the number of queues and a queue size to the e-mail address of the notification destination 15 node immediately upon reception of f~-..qimile data.

In the case where the process result items extracted from the print data include an item queued for printing, when a printing queue state is detected, the printing m~-~.hin~ according to this invention notifies attribute information including the number of queues and a queue size to the e-mail 20 address of the notification destination node immediately upon reception of print data.

. CA 02216407 1997-09-24 According to the thus constituted fa~.~imile m~hin~ and printing m~.hine, when the type of notifiable result information affixed into facsimile data or print data matches with a process result as "print queuing," the "print queuing" state and the number of queues and the 5 queue size as its attribute information are notified to the notification e-mail address. Therefore, the process requesting side can understand the reason why proper termination is not notified and at the same time can roughly estimate how long it takes to execute the process and to notify the message of proper termination. This can elimin~te a troublesome work of going 10 over to the printer to check the state over and over again at proper t.imings, or checking the print queue state by a queue check comm~nd with intervals, when print data is not printed for a long time.

The f~ imil~ m~.hine according to this invention comprises a reception section for receiving an information via the LAN; an extraction 15 section for extracting an e-mail address of a m~n~ger node from the received e-mail; a memory for storing the e-mail address of the m~n~ger node; and a notification section for notifying the detected process result to the e-mail address of the m~n~ger node by e-mail.

The printing machine according to this invention comprises a 20 reception section for receiving an information via the LAN; an extraction section for extracting an e-mail address of a m~n~ger node from the received e-mail; a memory for storing the e-mail address of the m~n~ger node; and a notification section for notifying the detected process result to the e-mail address of the m~n:~ger node by e-mail.

According to the thus constituted f~ imile m~(-.hin~ and printing machine, one or more m~n~ger notific~tion e-mail addresses can be 5 registered previously by e-mail, so that when, depending on the type of a process result, it is desirable to notify the result to a process requesting side and one or more m~n~gers, the result can be notified simultaneously.
Further, it is possible to notify process results occurred to separate m~n:~gers in accordance with the process results by associating m~n~ger 10 notification e-mail addresses with notifiable result information affixed to data. Furthermore, since a plurality of m~n~ger notification e-mail addresses can be registered, one result information can be notified to a plurality of m~n~gers or plural pieces of result information can be notified to one m~3n~ger. When a special result occurs, it becomes unnecessary to 15 report it to each m:~n~ger.

~RIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a f~ imil~ m~(-hine in a communication result not1fying system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating procedures of notifying a fac~imil~
20 output result to a notification e-mail address;

FIG. 3 is a network structural diagram showing requesting routines ~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 to a f~.qimile machine in a comml]nic~tion result notifying system according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the f~c~qimile m~(~.hine in a communication result notifying system according to the second 5 embodiment;

FIG. ~ is a diagram showing a repeat address affi~ed to mail data in the second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a printing address affixed to mail data in the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a structural diagram of a m~n~gement table of passwords and domain names;

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting a destination telephone number and a sender address acquired from f~..qimile data;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating general procedures of notifying a 15 tr~n.smiqqion result to a notification e-mail address in the second embodiment;

FIG. lO is a flowchart illustrating procedures of m~iling a tr~n.qmi.q.qion result in the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram for e~h~nging a tr~n.qmi.q.qi~-n result 20 between control sections;

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of a printing m:~t.hin~ in a communication result notifying system according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating procedures of notifying a print result to a not.ifi~t.ion e-mail address in the third embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for notifying a normal print result in the third embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart for notifying an abnormal print result in the third embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating procedures of notifying individual l 0 print results to a plurality of notification e-mail addresses according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a diagram of a table of print data associated with notification e-mail addresses in the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating procedures of notifying a result l 5 when a print result matches with notifiable result information according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a diagram of a table of notification e-mail addresses associated with notifiable result information in the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating procedures of notifying a result in a print queue mode according to the sixth embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing procedures of notifying a print result to a m:~n~ger notification e-mail address according to the seventh embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating procedures of notifying results 5 when print results match with notifiable result information for m~n:~gers according to the eighth embodiment;

FIG. 23 is a diagram of a table of m~ns~ger notification e-mail addresses associated with notifiable result information in the eighth embodiment;

l 0 FIG. 24 is a structural diagram of an existing system which executes printing and f~ imile tr~n~cmi~sion via a LAN; and FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram of a conventional printing machine.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

l 5 Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(First Embodiment) The first embodiment is a communication result notifying system which notifies the process result of f~ qimile tr~n~mi~ ion to a requesting 20 node by e-mail from a NETFAX. A description will be given of the network structure shown in FIG. 24 as an example.

FIG. 1 shows the functional blocks of the NETFAX in the communication result notifying system. This NETFAX has a CPU 1 for performing the general control of the m~rhin~, a ROM 2 where a program is stored, a RAM 3 which the program uses as a work area, a format converter 5 4, a fs~..qimil~ data storage section 6, a fa-.~imil~ section 6, a LAN interface section 7, a modem 8 and a network control unit 9.

The LAN interface section 7 executes procedures necessary to acquire fz~ imile data from a LAN. The format converter 4 converts image data of a tr:~n~mi.~sion original received via the LAN to the format of a G3 f~ imil~.
10 The received f~imil~ data is temporarily stored in the f~ imil~ data storage section 6. The f~c.~imil~ section 6 performs tr~n.~mi.~sion and reception of f~.similR data. The modem 8 performs modulation or demodulation necessary for data tr~n.~mi.~sion and reception, and the network control unit 9 controls the line.

l 5 FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of notifying the result of a fa~..qimil~ transmission process to a notification e-mail address. When the result of f~c~imile tr~n~mi~qsion process is to be notified to a requesting node (211) from the NETFAX (212) in FIG. 24, the requesting node adds the e-mail address of the requesting node on the network to the header section 20 of fa~imile data and sends it out.

In the NETFAX, the LAN interface section 7 receives f~r..~imile data, sent via the LAN from the requesting node (St 1), and temporarily stores ~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 the received f~cqimil~ data in the f~c.simil~ data storage section 5 (St 2).

The CPU 1 identifies a notification e-mail address, affixed to the received f~qimil~ data, from the data (St 3), and registers the not.ifi(.~t.ion e-mail address in a table lO provided in the RAM 3 (St 4). The format 5 converter 4 converts image data received as fa~.qimil~ data to the format of the G3 fac~qimile (St ~).

Meanwhile, the CPU 1 instructs the f~c.qimil~ section 6 to perform a fa~qimile tr:~n.qmi.q.qif)n process requested by the requesting node. The facqimile section 6 performs a tr~n.qmi.qsion process on f~qimile data whose 10 format has been converted in accordance with the G3 fa~.qimile (St 6).
After giving an instruction for the f~-.qimil~ tr~n.qmi.q.qi--n process to the f~ ..qimile section 6, the CPU 1 detects the result of a f~r~qimile reception process (St 8).

A notification message based on the process result in the fa~.qimile 15 section 6 is determined from previously registered notification messages (St 8), and it is notified by e-mail to a not.ifi~t.ion e-mail address registered in the table lO (St 9). As the requesting node 211 is set to the notification e-mail address here, the e-mail of the not.ific~t.ion message is sent to the e-mail address of the requesting node 211.

According to the first embodiment, the result of a f~c.qimile tr~n.qmi.qqinn process is notified by e-mail to the f~G.qimile tr~n.qmiq.qi-m ~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 requesting node. When f~c.qimile tr~n.qmi.qqion has been terminated properly, therefore, the f~qimile tr~nqmi.qsion requesting node can receive a comnmunication result indicating the proper termination, whereas in the case of abnormal trzln~qmi.qsion, the f~.qimile tr~n.qmi.qsion requesting node 5 can receive a communication result indicating the occurrence of a tr~n~mi~qsion error. The requester need not go over to the location of the f~c.qimile m~hine himself and check the display content (alarmn message) on the display section. It is possible to prevent a message of non-arrival or the like, when displayed on the display section, from being properly l 0 reported due to failure to check the display section or the like.

~ description will now be given of the case where the NETFAX
transfers the result of reception of facqimile data, received fromn the PSTN, to a reception node on the LAN by e-mail.

A tr:~n.qmiqsion node which transmits f~.qimile data adds the e-mail l 5 address of the reception node on the network to the header section of fa~qimile data and sends it out.

In the NETFAX, the fac.qimil~ section 6 receives f~c.qimil~ data from the PSTN (St 21), and te~nporarily stores the f~cqimil.? data in the facsimile data storage section 5 (St 22). The CPU 1 identifies the notification e-mail 20 address of the reception node, inserted in the header section of the received facsimnile data, from the data (St 23), and registers the notification e-mail address in the table lO provided in the RAM 3 (St 24).

When one page or whole pages of f~r..qimile data are saved in the fa~qimile data storage section 5, printing of image data is initiated (St 2~).
Through the processes from the reception of f~cqimilQ data to printing thereof, the fal~.qimilQ reception process is terminated.

The result of the f~csimilQ reception process is detected (St 26), and a notification message based on the process result in the f~.qimile section 6 is determined from previously registered notification messages (St 27). Then, the notification message is notified by e-mail to the e-mail address of the reception node registered in the table lO (St 28).

According to this first embodiment, since the result of the facsimile reception process is notified to the reception node by e-mail, it is possible to permit the reception node to know when fa~qimilQ data has arrived and obtain it immediately upon arrival by f~qimile, and to overcome such a problem that tr~n.qmitted fz~(~.qimile data does not reach the tr~nqmi.qsion l 5 destination for a long time.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 exemplifies the structure of a communication network which is adapted to a communication result notifying system according to the second embodiment. A first requesting node 12 constituted by a personal computer (PC), a m:~n:~ger node 13 and a NETFAX 16 are connected to a LAN 11. The NETFAX 14 is connected via a PSTN 15 to a G3 FAX 16 to ensure f~qimile communication over a telephone line. A plurality of LANs belong to an Internet 17 to which the LAN 11 is connected, and another requesting node 19 and NETFAX 20 are present on a LAN 18, one of the LANs. The following description will be given on the assumption that the 5 NETFAX 14 repeats and prints f:~qimile data.

FIG. 4 shows the functional blocks of the NETFAX 14. The NETFAX 14 has a FAX control section 21 and a LAN control section 30.
The FAX control section 21 has a CPU 22 which mainly controls fz~c.qimil~
tr:~n~qmi~qsion and reception processes and a tr~n~qmi~qsion result notifying l 0 process, a ROM 23 where a program to be executed by the CPU 22 is stored, and a RAM 24 where various tables are registered or which is used as a work area. The FAX control section 21 further includes a scanner section 2~ for sc~nning a tr~nqmi~qsion original, a printer section 26 for printing image data, a panel section 27 through which various information such as a l 5 telephone number and an e-mail address can be input, a modem 28 for modulating and demodulating f~c~qimil~ data, and a serial interface 29 which ext~h~nges data with the LAN control section 30. The LAN control section 30 has a CPU 31 which mainly controls the e~-~h~nge of f~c~qimile data with the LAN 11, a ROM 32 where a program for operating the CPU
20 31 is stored, a RAM 33 in which data the program uses is stored, a LAN
interface 34 for connecting to the LAN 11 of Ethernet or the like, and a serial interface 35 for connecting to the FAX control section 21.

When the requesting node (12, 19, 20) requests the NETFAX 14 to repeat or print f~.simil~ data, the requesting node transforms f~c.qimile data or print data to an e-mail or a frame and sends it to a data stream of the LAN 11. The requesting node sets either a printing address or a 5 repeat address to the destination address of the e-mail or frame which carries the fa(~ imile data or print data, in accordance with the data content.

FIG. ~; shows a specific example of a repeat address. This repeat address consists of a password for repeating f~c~imile data to the NETFAX
14, the telephone number of the destination, the G3 FAX 16, and the host l 0 name and domain name of the NETFAX 14. Of the destination address, the portion sandwiched between # and ~ indicates the telephone number of the destination, the G3 FAX 16. FIG. 6 shows a specific example of a printing address. The NETFAX 14 identifies a repeat address and a printing address based on the arrangement of data in the destination l 5 address.

The NETFAX 14 is provided with a mech~ni~m which does not accept repeating from other than specific requesting nodes previously registered.
A m~n~gement table where the domain names and passwords of the requesting nodes repeating to which is executed by the NETFAX 14 are 20 registered has been prepared in advance, and stored in the RAM 24 in the FAX control section 21.

FIG. 7 shows the structure of the m:~n~gement table. In the case where only a repeat along a path 3 on the network structure in FIG. 3 is permitted and repeats along paths 1 and 2 are not allowed, the domain name of the requesting node on the path 3 alone is registered in the m~n~ gement table.

FIGS. 9 and lO present flowcharts for repeating process of faf~.qimil~
data in the NETFAX 14. The m~n~gement table shown in FIG. 7 is stored, backed up, in the RAM 24 of the f~(-..qimile control section 21 and is transferred to the LAN control section 30 at the time of activation.

A description will be given of the case where the requesting node l 0 (personal computer) 12 in the LAN 11 requests the NETFAX 14 to repeat fac.qimil~ data to the G3 FAX 16. The requesting node 12 transmits data to be sent as f~l .qimile data to the NETFAX 14 in the format of an e-mail.
At this time, the repeat address and sender address shown in FIG. 5 are set in the e-mail at the requesting node 12.

l 5 The NETFAX receives the e-mail of f~cqimile data to be repeated to the G3 FAX 16 from the requesting node 12, at a repeat-only telephone number (St 31). The f~-.qimile data portion (text data, image data) included in the received e-mail is converted to the format of f~.qimil~ data.

Next, the password is checked by referring to the m~n~gement table transferred to the RAM 33 in the LAN control section 30 (St 32). The password (ifax OO1) placed at the top of the repeat address shown in FIG. 5 is obtained and is collated with the passwords registered in the m~n:~gement table. If the presence of a matched password in the m~n~qgement table can be confirmed, it is determined that the password is correct (St 33). When the password is correct, the domain name of the 5 sender is checked by further referring to the m?~n~gement table (St 34).
The domain name described in the sender address in the received e-mail is acquired and is collated with the domain name on the m~n~gement table which is associated with the previously checked password. If the sender's domain name is registered in the m~n~gement table, it is determined that l 0 f~imil~ data of the received e-mnail may be repeated (St 35). A plurality of domain names can be registered for a single password.

Since passwords for using the NETFAX 14 for repeating are given to specific requesters and they are registered in the mz~n~gement table, the NETFAX 14 can accept repeat requests only from the specific requesters.

l 5 Even if a repeat address including a password is leaked to a third party, unauthorized use of the NETFAX 14 can be prevented by restricting the domain name of the sender in the process in step 34.

When it is determined in the step 35 that mail data from the requesting node 12 may be repeated, the mail data is sent to the f~c~imile 20 control section 21 from the LAN control section 30 via the serial interface 35.

~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 The f~cqimile control section 21 obtains the destination telephone number sandwiched between the mark # and the mark ~ from the repeat address in the mail data, and temporarily stores the destination telephone number and the mail data in the RAM 24. The f~c.qimile control section 21 5 sends a log to the m~n~ger node 13 of a m~n~ger who m~qn~ges the NETFAX (St 36). The log to be tr~n~qmitted to the m~n~ger node 13 includes the sender, the destination telephone number and the content of data or the like. As the sender address and the telephone number of the tr~nqmi~qsion destination are notified to the m~n~ger node 13 every time l 0 there is a repeat, it is possible to promptly check the situation where the repeating amount is increased abnormally.

Next, the destination telephone number previously held in the RAM
24 is called and mail data whose format has been converted for fzl~qimil~
usage is tr~n~qmitted by facqimile (St 37). Then, text data indicating the l 5 tr~n~qmi~qsion result is stored in the text portion in the e-mail (St 38), and the first page tr:~n~qmitted by fa~ qimile is stored as an appendid file in the e-mail (St 39). The e-mail having stored the tr~n~qmiqsion result and the first page is transmitted to the sender address (St 40).

When the password or domain name is wrong in step 33 or 3~, an 20 error is returned to the mail server (St 41). An error mail is returned to the requesting node from the mail server.

Referring to FIG. lO, the notification process for notifying the communication result to the requesting node will be described in detail.
This communication result notifying process is equivalent to the steps 38-40.

When the requesting node 12 requests the NETFAX 14 to make repeating, the NETFAX 14 converts an e-mail to f~c.qimil~ data (image 5 data). At this time, the destination telephone number and the sender address are acquired from the destination address and the sender address in the mail data, a m~n~gement table as shown in FIG. 8 is prepared and the destination telephone number is called to transmit the fac.qimile data to the requested destination (St 51).

The NETFAX 14 detects the tr~n~qmiqsion result in the same process as that of an existing fac.qimile machine (St 52). Tr~n~qmi.qsion OK is stored as a tr~n.qmi.qsion and reception history in a memory (e.g., a part of the RAM 24) for display on the display section when tr~n.qmiqsion has been terminated properly, and tr~n.qmi.qqion NG is stored when tr~nqmi.q.qion l 5 could not be accomplished.

When the tr~n.qmi.qqion history is stored in the memory in the process in step 52, the content of the tr~n.qmi.qsion result is checked (St ~3). In the case of tr~n.qmiqsion NG, text data of a message indicating abnormal transmission is read from the memory (St 54). In the case of tr~n.qmiqsion 20 OK, text data of a message indicating tr~n.qmi~q~qion completed is read from the memory (St 55).

Although text data is read from the memory both in the case of tr~n~qmi~qsion completed and in the case of abnormal tr~n.qmi.qqif n, it may be done only in one of the cases.

When text data corresponding to abnormal tr~nqmi~qsion or text data 5 corresponding to tr~n.qmiq.qion completed is prepared, the sender address, stored in the m~n~qgement table shown in FIG. 8 at the time the mail data to be repeated has been received from the requesting node, is obtained from the m~n:~ gement table. The address of the requesting node 12, or the sender address, is set as the mail address for the communication result l 0 mail (St 56). The text data of the communication result message prepared in the step 54, 55 is copied to the text//Plain portion of the communication result mail (St 57). Further, the first page of the image data transmitted in step 51 upon reception of a repeat request is extracted (St 58) and the extracted image data is copied to the image portion after Base 64 l 5 conversion (St 59). That is, the extracted image data is transformed into a file and added.

Then, the text data of the communication result message is inserted in the text portion and the e-mail having the first page of image data added to the image portion is mailed to the sender address which is the address of 20 the requesting node (St 60).

As a result, when the requesting node 12 request the NETFAX 14 to make a repeat to the G3 FAX 16, the e-mail added with the communication result message and the first page of image data is sent from the NETFAX
14 when the tr~n.qmi~qqion process is completed. Therefore, the requester can know the tr~n.qmiqsion result immediately after the tr~n~qmi~qsion process without going over to where the NETFAX 14 is located to check the 5 tr~nqmiqsion result.

In the case where a repeat request is made with a false sender (domain name), the tr~n.qmi~q.qi--n result notification is returned to the sender set in the mail data, so that the tr~n.qmi.qqion result notific~tion is not returned to the node which has made a false tr~nqmiqsion request. It l 0 is thus possible to elimin~te a false requester from the service of notifying the result. Since the tr~nqmi~qsion result of a mail which is not requested by the node of a third party whose domain name has been used unauthorized is notified to that node, the third party can find out the unauthorized use of its domain name.

l 5 FIG. 11 shows a sequence for e~rlh~nging a tr~n.qmi~qsion result or the like to the LAN control section 30 from the fal qimilf~ control section 21.
Every mail data the NETFAX 14 received from a requesting node is m~n~ged by the f~.qimil~ control section 21. When a sender address in the m:~n~gement table is given as a return mail address from the f~c.qimile 20 control section 21, the LAN control section 30 sets the return mail address to the destination of the result notifying mail. When a tr~nqmi.q.qion result text is given to the LAN control section 30 from the f~.qimil~ control section ' CA 02216407 1997-09-24 21, the tr~n~qmi.qqi-~n result text is copied into the text portion of the result notifying mail.

As apparent from the above, the m~n~gement of all data by the f~cqimil.? control section 21 can ensure complicated control and can permit 5 tr~n~qmi~q~qion confirmation to be executed under the same control as that for ordinary mail tr~n~qmi.qqi-)n, so that the program structure can be simplified.
Further, as the CPU performance of the ordinary f~qimil~ control section 21 is higher than that of the LAN control section 30, greater data can be handled when data is m~n~ged by the fa~.qimil~ control section 21.

l 0 (Third Embodiment) The third embodiment is a communication result notifying system in which a printing machine which has received a printing request via a network notifies the result of the printing process by e-mail. The printing m~chin~ in the communication result notifying system according to the l 5 third embodiment is located on a network shown in FIG. 24 and receives print data via the network.

FIG. 12 is a basic structural diagram of the printing m~l~.hine in the communication result notifying system according to the third embodiment.
The printing m~hin~ has a CPU 41 which performs the general control of 20 the m~(-hine, a ROM 42 where a program having process contents or the like described thérein is stored, a RAM 43 which is used as a data area by the program, a printer section 44 which executes a printing process with a printer protocol of an LPD or the like, and a LAN interface section 45 which e~l~h~nges print data on the LAN.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a process of notifying the result of 5 a printing process to a notification e-mail address. When receiving print data whose printing is requested by a requesting node (St 7O), the printing machine identifies the notification e-mail address affixed to the received print data from the data (St 71).

In the case where the result of the printing process is notified to the l 0 requesting node having requested the printing process, the sender address affixed to the print data can be used as the notification e-mail address so that it is unnecessary to particularly add the notification e-mail address.
When the requesting node differs from the notification destination node for the result of the printing process, the e-mail address of the notification l 5 destination node is set as the notification e-mail address to the print data at the requesting node.

The CPU 41 registers the notification e-mail address, identified from the print data, in a return address table provided in the RAM 43 (St 72).
The CPU 41 instructs the printer section 44 to carry out a printing process.
20 Consequently, printing of the received print data is performed (St 73).
When the printing process is executed, the result of the printing process is detected in the printer section 44 (St 74). A notific~tiQn message according to the detected process result is determined (St 75), and the notification e-mail address previously registered in the return address table T1 is acquired. The notification message is notified to this notification e-mail address by e-mail.

FIG. 14 illustrates a process flow when the result of a printing process detected in the step 74 is proper termination. First, the result of the printing process is detected (St 81) and it is checked if the printing process has been terminated properly (St 82). When proper termination is confirmed, a message indicating proper termination is notified by e-mail to l O the notification e-mail address registered in the return address table T1 (St 83). If it is determined in the process in step 82 that the termination has not been done properly, a message in~ t.ing proper termination is not sent.

FIG. 1~ illustrates a process flow when the result of a printing process detected in the step 74 is abnormal termination. The result of the l 5 printing process is detected (St 84) and it is checked if the printing process has been terminated abnormally (St 85). When abnormal termination of the printing process is confirmed, a message in(1i(>z~ting abnormality is notified to the notification e-mail address registered in the return address table T1 (St 86). If it is not abnormal, an alarm message is not sent.

2 0 According to the third embodiment, as described above, the e-mail address to which a process result is to be notified can be find out directly from the received print data and the result of the printing process can be noti_ed to the requesting node which has requested the print,ing process.
Therefore, the requester who has requested the printing process need not go over to the place of the printing m~(~,hin~ to check the situation, and can obtain the result of the printing process on the site.

The person who requests a printing process can easily executes the printing process based on the above by designating the e-mail address of the noti_cation destination and pressing the set button.

Once the e-mail address of the not,ifi~t,ion destination is set, a dialog box is not displayed next time a printing process is requested and the l 0 noti_cation e-mail address need not be set again though it may be changed as needed.

(Fourth Embodiment) The fourth embodiment of this invention will now be described.

The fourth embodiment is a system in which a printing m~hin~
l 5 which has received a printing request via a network notifies the result of the printing process by e-mail, and its basic structure is the same as that of the third embodiment. The printing m~hin~ is located on the network shown in FIG. 24 and receives print data via the network.

FIG. 16 is a flow illustrating a process of notifying individual print results of plural pieces of print data received from a plurality of print,ing requesters to respective notification e-mail addresses respectively affixed to the plural pieces of print data.

When plural pieces of print data are received at the same time from a plurality of requesting nodes (St 90), all print data are stored in a storage secured in the RAM 43 (St 91). The individual notification e-mail addresses are identified from the respective print data stored in the storage (St 92), and those identified notification e-mail addresses registered and stored in the return address table T1 in association with the respective print data (St 93). Printing process for the respective print data are performed (St 94), and it is detected if the result of each printing process l O has been terminated properly or abnormally (St 95). Individual notification messages are determined based on the results (St 96) and they are notified to the respective notification e-mail addresses corresponding to the print data, acquired by referring to the table Tl (St 97).

FIG. 17 shows the correlation table Tl of the print data and the l 5 notification e-mail addresses registered in the step 93, and the reception numbers are determined by the order print data has been received. The notification e-mail addresses are notification e-mail addresses affixed to the print data, and are associated with the reception numbers. In the illustrated example, the notific~tion e-mail address for the print data with the reception number 1 is 123.456.789.00, and the result of the printing process on the print data is notified to this address.

According to the fourth embodiment, as described above, since e-mail addresses to which the results of individual print.ing processes are to be notified are affixed to all of plural pieces of print data received from a plurality of printing requesters, the printing requesters can individually obtain the process results.

(Fifth Embodiment) The fifth embodiment of this invention will now be described.

The fifth embodiment is a system in which a print.ing machine which has received a printing request via a network notifies the result of the printing process by e-mail, and its basic structure is the same as that of the l 0 third embodiment. It is assumed that the printing machine is located on the network shown in FIG. 24 and receives print data via the network.

FIG. 18 is a flow illustrating a process of notifying a result to a not.ifi~ tion e-mail address when the result of a printing process matches with notifiable result information specified by print data.

l 5 At the requesting node 211, a notification e-mail address and the type of a process to be notified (notifiable result information) are affixed to print data which is to be requested to the printing mz~.hine.

The printing machine receives the print data via the network from the requesting node 211 (St 101). The not.ific~t.ion e-mail address and the notifiable result information are identified from the received print data (St 102). The notifiable result information identified from the print data is registered in the return address table T1 in association with the notification e-mail address in that table T1 (St 103).

FIG. 19 shows the table T1 in which the notification e-mail address, registered in step 103, and the types of the notifiable result information, 5 registered in step 103, are associated with one another. The numbers set in this table T1 are numerals uniquely given print data by print data (in one-to-one association). Further, the notification e-mail address and the types of the notifiable result information, identified in step 102, are described in association with one another. It is possible to specify plural l O pieces of notifiable result information with respect to a single notification e-mail address. In the illustrated example, the notification e-mail address of print data indicated by the number 1 is 123.456.789.00, indicating that only when the printing result is any of three types, "paper jam," "communication error" and "no paper," a message representing the result is notified to the l 5 mentioned e-mail address.

After the notification e-mail address and the notifiable result information are set in the table T1, a printing process for printing the print data is performed (St 104). When the printing process is executed, the result of this printing process is detected (St 105). Then, it is checked if 20 notif;able result information which m~t~hf~s with the detected process result is registered in the notifiable result information corresponding to the associated number in the table T1 (St 106). When it is checked that the ' CA 02216407 1997-09-24 notifiable result information matching with the detected process result is registered in the table Tl, a notification message corresponding to the process result is determined from previously registered notification messages (St 108), and the determined notification message is notified by e-5 mail to the e-mail address in the table Tl (St 109).

When the notifiable result information matching with the detected process result is not registered in the table Tl in step 107, notification by e-mail is not made.

AGcording to this fifth embodiment, the printing requesting side can l 0 dynamically designate the notification e-mail address and the type of notifiable result information, so that only when a specific printing result specified in print data occurs, a message can be received at the requesting node.

(Sixth Embodiment) l 5 The sixth embodiment of this invention will be described next.

The sixth embodiment is a system in which a printing m~hinf~! which has received a printing request via a network notifies the result of the printing process by e-mail, and its basic structure is the same as that of the third embodiment. The printing machine is located on the network shown 20 in FIG. 24 and receives print data via the network.

FIG. 20 is a ~ow illustrating a process of notifying a result to a ~ CA 02216407 1997-09-24 notification e-mail address when the result of a printing process is "queued for printing" and notifiable result information specified by print data includes "queued for printing."

The requesting node 211 sets "queued for printing" as one of 5 notifiable result information in print data which is requested to the printing m~hine, The printing m~.hin~ receives the print data in which "queued for printing" is set in the notifiable result information from the requesting node 211 (St 110). A notification e-mail address added to the received print l 0 data and the notifiable result information including "queued for printing"
are identified from the print data (St 111). The noti~cation e-mail address identified from the print data is registered in the return address table T1, and the notifiable result information including "queued for printing" is registered in association with this notification e-mail address (St 112).

l 5 The printing machine performs a printing process for printing the print data received in step 110 (St 113). If another print request is in at this time, the currently made print request is "queued for print,ing." So, this printing m~.hine detects if the "queued for printing" state has occurred (St 114). If the "queued for printing" state is detected when the printing 20 process is instructed to the printer section, the CPU checks if "queued for printing" is registered in the notifiable result information registered in the table T1 (St 11~i). When it is confirmed from the checking that "queued for printing" is registered (St 116), the number of queues and the queue size which become attribute information are acquired (St 117). A notification message including the number of queues and the queue size in the attribute information is determined (St 118), and this notification message is notified 5 to the e-mail address corresponding to the result information in the table T1.

When "queued for printing" is not registered in the process in step 116, the process result is detected again when the process is proceeded to the next printing process from the queue and the same result notification as 10 done in the above-described fifth embodiment is carried out.

According to this sixth embodiment, even when the print state is not properly terminated because of "queued for printing," its status and attribute information can be obtained. Therefore, in addition to the reason why print data is not output, how long it takes to execute and terminate the 15 process can be roughly estimated. When it takes time to go over to the printing machine to check it over and over again or printing out takes a long time, therefore, another work can be put in between. Note that a queue time may be computed based on the number of queues and the queue size.

(Seventh Embodiment) The seventh embodiment of this invention will now be described.

The seventh embodiment is a system in which a printing machine which has received a printing request via a network notifies the result of the printing process by e-mail, and its basic structure is the same as that of the third embodiment. It is assumed that the printing machine is located 5 on the network shown in FIG. 24 and receives print data via the network.
A m:~n~ger node which becomes the notification destination for a print result is located on the network.

FIG. 21 is a flow showing a process of notifying a print result also to a m~n~ger notification e-mail address previously registered by e-mail.

The m~n~ger node, requesting node or another node previously notifies a m~n~ger not.i~;c~t.i~ n e-mail address which is the e-mail address of the m~n~ger node to the printing m~(7.hine When the printing m~hine rece*es the e-mail for notifying the m:~n~ger notification e-mail address (St 120) and identifies the m~n~ger l 5 notification e-mail address from the e-mail (St 121), it registers the identified m~n~ger notification e-mail address in a m~n~ger notification address table T2. The m~n~ger notification address table T2 is secured in the RAM in the printing m~-.hine When a printing request is made to a specific printing machine, for 20 example, the print result should be reported to the m~n:~ger in some case.
In such a case, prior to m~king the printing request to the printing m~r.hine, ' CA 02216407 1997-09-24 the requesting node notifies the m~n~ger notification e-mail address of the m~n~ger node.

When receiving the print data (St 123), the print,ing m~hine identifies the notification e-mail address affixed to the print data (St 124), 5 and registers the identified notification e-mail address in the return address table T1 (St 12~). A printing process for printing the received print data is performed (St 126) and its process result is detected (St 127).
A notification message based on the detected process result is determined (St 128), and the determined not,ifi~ t,i--n message is notified to the 10 m~n:~ger notification e-mail address registered in the table T2 and the notification e-mail address registered in the table Tl (St 129).

According to this seventh embodiment, the result of a printing process can be notified by e-mail to the m~n:~ger node as well as the requesting node.

1 5 (h:i ght,h Embodiment) The eighth embodiment of this invention will be described next.

The eighth embodiment is a system in which a print,ing m~(~,hin~
which has received a printing request via a network notifies the result of the printing process by e-mail, and its basic structure is the same as that of 20 the third embodiment. It is assumed that the printing machine is located on the network shown in FIG. 24 and receives print data via the network.

A plurality of m~n~ger nodes which become the notification destinations for print results are located on the network.

According to the eighth embodiment, actual print results match with the types of notifiable result information previously registered by e-mail in 5 association with m:~n~ger notification e-mail addresses and the types of notifiable result information designated by the print data in association with notification e-mail addresses, the results are notified to the respective e-mail addresses.

FIG. 22 is a flow illustrating a process of notifying results to m~n~ger 10 notification e-mail addresses and ]noti l;c~tion e-mail addresses when the types of notifiable result information match with actual print results.

A m~n~er node sends an e-mail including the e-mail address of the m~n~ger node (m~nzlger notification e-mail address) and notifiable result information to the printing m~chine.

l 5 The printing machine receives the e-mail (St 130) and identifies a m~n~ger notification e-mail address A and the type of notifiable result information from the received e-mail (St 131). The m~n:~ger notification e-mail address A and the type of the notifiable result information are acquired from the e-mail and are both are registered in a m~n~ger result 20 information table T3 in association with each other (St 132).

FIG. 23 shows the m~n~ger result information table T3. In the m~n~ger result information table T3, the m~n~ger notification e-mail address and the type of the notifiable result information (notification message type), registered in step 132, are described in association with each other. The m~n:~ger result information table T3 is secured in the RAM 43 5 of the printing m~>.hin~. Plural pieces of notifiable result information can be designated with respect to a single m~n~ger notification e-mail address.
In the illustrated example, the m7Jn~ger notification e-mail address indicated by the number 1 is 123.456.789.00, indicating that only when the printing result is any of three types, "paper jam," "communication error"
l O and "no paper," a message representing the result is notified to the mentioned e-mail address.

When receiving the print data (St 133), the printing msl~hin~?
identifies a notification e-mail address B affixed to the print data and the type of notifiable result information from this print data (St 134). The l 5 notifiable result information which corresponds to the notification e-mail address B is registered in a result information correlation table T4 (St 135).
The result information correlation table T4, which has the same data structure as the one in FIG. 19, is secured in the RAM 43 of the printing m~t~,hlne.

The printing m~hine performs the printing process on the received print data (St 136) and detects the process result (St 137). It is checked if the result information which matches with the detected process result is registered in the result information correlation table T4 (St 138), and when the result information matching with the process result is registered, that result information is determined as a noti_cation message (St 139). When the result information matching with the process result is registered in the process in step 139 (St 140), the notific.~t.i(ln message is notified to the e-mail address B of the requesting node registered in the result information correlation table T4 (St 141). When there is no matching result information in the process in step 138, nothing is done.

Further, it is checked if the result information which matches with 10 the process result is registered in the m~n~ger result information table T3 (St 142), and when the registration of the result information matching with the process result is con_rmed (St 143), the notification message is notified to the m ~ n ~ ger noti_cation e-mail address A registered in the m ~ n ~ ger result information table T3 (St 144). VVhen there is no matching result 15 information in the process in step 142, nothing is done.

According to the eighth embodiment, as discussed above, a plurality of m~n~ger noti_cation e-mail addresses can be registered by e-mail in association with notifiable result information, so that the result of a printing process can be noti_ed to a plurality of m~n~ger nodes as well as 20 the requesting node.

The. printing result notifying methods described in the sections of the third to eighth embodiments are adapted to the communication result notifying method by f~c~simil~ tr~n.qmi~qsion which has been discussed in the section of the _rst embodiment or the second embodiment.

In the first embodiment or the second embodiment, a proper termination message and abnormal termination message as illustrated in 5 the section of the third embodiment are notifiied by e-mail to the requesting node in accordance with the detection result of the fac~qimil~ tr~n~qmi~sion or reception process.

Further, in the _rst embodiment or the second embodiment, when requests for the tr~n~qmiq~qilm of, or the reception of, plural pieces of 10 f~ qimile data are received, notifi-~tion e-mail addresses are obtained from the respective fac~qimil~ data and registered in a table as shown in FIG. 17, and the individual tr~n~qmi~q~qion processes or reception processes are noti_ed to the e-mail addresses registered in the table, as illustrated in the section of the fourth embodiment.

l 5 Furthermore, in the _rst embodiment or the second embodiment, a requesting node adds noti_able result information to be notified to f~simile data and then makes a request, and a NETFAX prepares a table as shown in FIG. 19, as illustrated in the sections of the fiifth and eighth embodiments. When the result information registered in the table 20 matches with the result of the tr~n~qmi~ssion or reception process, the requesting node or the like is notified.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, the tr~n.qmiqsion queue state of f~qimile data is detected, and when there is a tr~nqmiq~qion queue, the queue state is notified by e-mail to the requesting node or m~n~ger node as illustrated in the section of the sixth embodiment.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, , tables as shown in FIGS. 19 and 23 are prepared as illustrated in the sections of the seventh and eighth embodiments, and the process illustrated in FIG. 22 is executed with a printing process and print data replaced with a f:~qimil~ tr~n.qmiq~qion process and f~c~qimile data.

This invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but may be modified in various forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The f:~c~qimil~ m~hine and communication result notifying method according to this invention are suitable for use in a communication system which requests a f~qimil~ m~l7hin~ or a printing ms~(~.hine on a network to execute the tr~nqmi~qqion of f~c~qimil~ data or the printing of print data.

Claims

C L A I M S

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:

means for acquiring facsimile data sent on said LAN from said requesting node from said LAN;

means for obtaining 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;

means for detecting a process result of a transmission process performed on said facsimile data; and means for notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail.

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 6, 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 appendid 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:

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

means for detecting a process result of a reception process performed on said facsimile data; and means for notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail.

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

means for acquiring print data sent on said LAN from said requesting node from said LAN;

means for obtaining 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;

means for detecting a process result of a printing process performed on said print data; and means for notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail.

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:

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

(b) detecting a result of a transmission process in said facsimile machine; and (c) notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail.

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:

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

(b) detecting a result of a printing process in said printing machine;
and (c) notifying said detected process result to said e-mail address of said notification destination node by e-mail.