Image reading apparatus and medium storing program executable by image reading apparatus for sending image data to destination included in acquired e-mail setting information

• US 10,628,098 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2018
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nakano, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Reinier, Barbara D
• Application Number:
  US16/030,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20190020769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1257 by using pre-stored settings, e.g. job templates, presets, print styles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00225 details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00811 according to user specified instructions, e.g. user selection of reading mode

Abstract

An image reading apparatus includes a scanner configured to read an image from a document, and a controller. The controller is configured to: output a template for inputting e-mail setting information including at least a destination; acquire the e-mail setting information included in an e-mail setting file from a storage apparatus in which the e-mail setting file is stored; and transmit image data read by the scanner to the destination included in the acquired e-mail setting information. The e-mail setting file is prepared by inputting the e-mail setting information into the template outputted. The storage apparatus has an area corresponding to user information, and the e-mail setting file is stored in the area corresponding to the user information of the storage apparatus. The controller accesses the e-mail setting file stored in the area corresponding to the user information by utilizing the user information.

Claims

1. An image reading apparatus comprising:

a scanner configured to read an image from a document; and

a controller configured to;

output, to one of a storage apparatus and an information processing apparatus, which are separate from the image reading apparatus, a template for inputting, via an interface of the information processing apparatus, e-mail setting information including at least a destination;

acquire the e-mail setting information included in an e-mail setting file from the storage apparatus in which the e-mail setting file is stored, the email setting file being stored in an area of the storage apparatus corresponding to user information, wherein the e-mail setting file is prepared based on the email setting information input into the template, and wherein the acquiring includes accessing, based on the user information, the e-mail setting file stored in the area of the storage apparatus; and

send image data read by the scanner to the destination included in the acquired e-mail setting information.

2. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

acquire the user information;

store the template in a predetermined area of the storage apparatus corresponding to the acquired user information; and

output, to the information processing apparatus, access information to allow access to the predetermined area of the storage apparatus in which the template is stored for preparation of the e-mail setting file.

3. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, before outputting the template, the controller is configured to determine whether at least one of the template and the e-mail setting file is stored in the predetermined area of the storage apparatus, and

based on determining that both of the template and the e-mail setting file are not stored, the controller is configured to output the template to the storage apparatus.

4. The image reading apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether at least one of the template and the e-mail setting file is stored at a timing at which the user information is acquired.

5. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine whether the e-mail setting file is stored in the predetermined area, if the template is stored in the predetermined area of the storage apparatus; and

inform a user of information to prompt preparation of the e-mail setting file by utilizing the template stored in the predetermined area, if it is determined that the e-mail setting file is not stored in the predetermined area.

6. The image reading apparatus according to claim 2, wherein outputting the access information includes sending the access information to the information processing apparatus by e-mail.

7. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein under a condition that an email is received from the information processing apparatus before outputting the template, the controller is configured to:

output the template to the information processing apparatus; and

acquire the e-mail setting information included in the e-mail setting file from the storage apparatus which stores the e-mail setting file prepared based on the template outputted to the information processing apparatus.

8. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display,

wherein the controller is configured to display, on the display, a screen to confirm whether the e-mail setting file including the e-mail setting information is deleted, after sending the image data to the destination included in the e-mail setting information.

9. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the e-mail setting information includes the destination and a file name of the e-mail setting file in which the e-mail setting information is included, and

the controller is configured to:

acquire at least one file name included in at least one of the e-mail setting information; and

acquire the e-mail setting information included in the e-mail setting file having one file name, if the one file name of the at least one file name is designated by an operation performed by a user.

10. The image reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage apparatus is part of a server separate from the image reading apparatus.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by a computer of an image reading apparatus provided with a scanner for reading an image from a document, the program causing the computer of the image reading apparatus to:

output, to one of a storage apparatus and an information processing apparatus, which are separate from the image reading apparatus, a template for inputting, via an interface of the information processing apparatus, e-mail setting information including at least a destination;

acquire the e-mail setting information included in an e-mail setting file from the storage apparatus in which the e-mail setting file is stored, the email setting file being stored in an area of the storage apparatus corresponding to user information, wherein the e-mail setting file is prepared based on the email setting information input into the template, and wherein the acquiring includes accessing, based on the user information, the e-mail setting file stored in the area of the storage apparatus; and

send image data read by the scanner to the destination included in the acquired e-mail setting information.