IMAGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING ELECTRONIC MAIL AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR
First Claim
1. An image communication system for performing transmission/reception of an electronic mail between a plurality of communication terminals, wherein a first communication terminal among said plurality of communication terminals comprising:
- electronic-mail transmission means for transmitting an electronic mail;
an image-file attachment means for attaching an image file to said electronic mail;
reading means for reading an image; and
conversion means for converting the image read by said reading means to an image file, and wherein a second communication terminal among said plurality of communication terminals comprising;
electronic-mail reception means for receiving said electronic mail;
file extraction means for extracting an attachment file from said electronic mail;
determination means for determining whether or not the attachment file extracted by said file extraction means is an image file; and
image processing means for processing said image file, wherein said first and second communication terminals transmit/receive an electronic mail to which an image file including image-file processing information is attached.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image communication system including electronic-mail apparatuses each having a function to add image-file processing information to an image file attached to an electronic mail. The image processing capability of each apparatus is examined in advance. In a transmitting-side apparatus, an image file is generated in accordance with the capability, and an electronic mail, to which the image file is attached, is transmitted to a receiving-side apparatus. Further, if the image file attached to the transmitted electronic mail cannot be processed by the receiving-side apparatus, the receiving-side apparatus notifies the transmitting-side apparatus of clarified cause of processing failure, further, transmits its image-file processing capability and the unprocessed transmitted electronic mail to the transmitting-side apparatus. Thus, efficient image-file transmission/reception can be performed.
45 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. An image communication system for performing transmission/reception of an electronic mail between a plurality of communication terminals,
wherein a first communication terminal among said plurality of communication terminals comprising: -
electronic-mail transmission means for transmitting an electronic mail;
an image-file attachment means for attaching an image file to said electronic mail;
reading means for reading an image; and
conversion means for converting the image read by said reading means to an image file, and wherein a second communication terminal among said plurality of communication terminals comprising;
electronic-mail reception means for receiving said electronic mail;
file extraction means for extracting an attachment file from said electronic mail;
determination means for determining whether or not the attachment file extracted by said file extraction means is an image file; and
image processing means for processing said image file, wherein said first and second communication terminals transmit/receive an electronic mail to which an image file including image-file processing information is attached. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An electronic-mail apparatus comprising:
-
electronic-mail transmission means for transmitting an electronic mail;
image-file attachment means for attaching an image file to said electronic mail;
reading means for reading an image; and
conversion means for converting the image read by said reading means to an image file, wherein before said apparatus transmits an image file, said apparatus transmits an electronic mail, to inquire the image processing capability of a receiving-side apparatus, to said receiving-side apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
9. An electronic-mail apparatus comprising:
-
electronic-mail reception means for receiving an electronic mail;
file extraction means for extracting an attachment file from said electronic mail;
determination means for determining whether or not said attachment file is an image file;
image processing means for processing an image file; and
electronic-mail transmitting means for transmitting an electronic mail to which an image file, including image-file processing information, is attached. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
16. A communication method for an image communication system for performing transmission/reception of an electronic mail between a plurality of communication terminals, comprising:
-
an image-file attachment step of attaching an image file including image-file processing information to an electronic mail;
an electronic-mail transmission step of transmitting said electronic mail;
an electronic-mail reception step of receiving said electronic mail transmitted at said electronic-mail transmission step;
a file extraction step of extracting an attachment file from said electronic mail received at said electronic-mail reception step;
a determination step of determining whether or not the attachment file extracted at said file extraction step is an image file; and
an image processing step of, if it is determined at said determination step that the attachment file is an image file, processing said image file.
-
-
17. A computer-readable memory containing a control program for an image communication system for performing transmission/reception of an electronic mail between a plurality of communication terminals, said program including:
-
image-file attachment process procedure codes for attaching an image file including image-file processing information to an electronic mail;
transmission process procedure codes for transmitting said electronic mail;
electronic-mail reception process procedure codes for receiving said electronic mail transmitted at said transmission process;
file extraction process procedure codes for extracting an attachment file from said electronic mail received at said electronic-mail reception process;
determination process procedure codes for determining whether or not the attachment file extracted at said file extraction process is an image file; and
image processing process procedure codes for, if it is determined at said determination process that the attachment file is an image file, processing said image file.
-
-
18. A communication apparatus comprising:
-
generating means for generating an image file including information on image-file processing capability of said apparatus; and
transmission means for attaching said image file generated by said generating means to an electronic mail and transmitting said electronic mail.
-
-
25. A control method for a communication apparatus comprising:
-
a generating step of generating an image file including information on image-file processing capability of a transmitting-side communication apparatus; and
a transmission step of attaching said image file generated at said generating step to an electronic mail and transmitting said electronic mail.
-
Specification