Network facsimile device

• US 20020048048A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kagawa, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A network facsimile device capable of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) receiving, via a network, electronic mail (email) to which facsimile image data is attached, the network facsimile device includes domain registration means for registering a domain of an address of the network facsimile device, and email address registration means for registering a plurality of email addresses indicating the network facsimile device. The network facsimile device receives email when an address attached to such email is the network facsimile device domain and is one of the plurality of email addresses registered in the email address registration means.

Claims

1. A network facsimile device capable of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) receiving, via a network, electronic mail (email) to which facsimile image data is attached, the network facsimile device comprising:

domain registration means for registering a domain of an address of the network facsimile device; and

email address registration means for registering a plurality of email addresses indicating the network facsimile device,

the network facsimile device receiving email when an address attached to such email is the network facsimile device domain and is one of the plurality of email addresses registered in the email address registration means.

2. The network facsimile device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising forwarding address registration means for matching and registering the plurality of email addresses indicating the network facsimile device with the forwarding addresses for forwarding email sent to one of the plurality of email addresses,

wherein the network facsimile device forwards electronic mail to a recipient whose forwarding address corresponds to the email address of the received email sent to the network facsimile device.

3. The network facsimile device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising sender data acquisition and registration means for acquiring and registering data relating to the sender of email sent to the network facsimile device,

wherein the network facsimile device forwards the data relating to the sender at the same time as the network facsimile device forwards email to a recipient whose forwarding address corresponds to the email address of the received email sent to the network facsimile device.

4. The network facsimile device as claimed in claim 3, wherein data relating to the sender includes the sender'"'"'s email address and the network facsimile device forwards email to a recipient'"'"'s email address using the sender'"'"'s email address as a parameter.