E-mail non-arrival information notification method and data communication apparatus

• US 20020140987A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• 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 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3216 of a job size, e.g. a number of images, pages or copies, size of file, length of message
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3219 of a job status, e.g. successful execution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A registered address that is normally used by the user and comprises personal information is input into an MFP apparatus. The MFP apparatus sends a command including the registered address to the mail provider, obtains a new address for which the registered address is designated as a forwarding address, and deletes the registered address from the MFP apparatus. Where the MFP apparatus receives an e-mail non-arrival notification, the MFP apparatus sends the non-arrival notification to the new address. The non-arrival notification sent to the new address is received by the mail provider and forwarded to the registered address. In this way, notification of the e-mail'"'"'s non-arrival can be provided without the registered address remaining in the MFP apparatus.

Claims

1. An e-mail non-arrival information notification method comprising the steps of:

inputting a registered address;

generating a new address and designating the registered address as a forwarding address for the new address;

receiving e-mail non-arrival information;

sending the non-arrival information to the new address; and

forwarding the non-arrival information sent to the new address to the registered address.

2. A data communication apparatus that can send and receive data over a network, said data communication apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting a registered address; and

obtaining means for obtaining over a network a new address for which the registered address is designated as a forwarding address.

3. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

mail sending means for sending an e-mail;

receiving a non-arrival information of the e-mail; and

non-arrival information sending means for sending the non-arrival information to the new address.

4. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

address delete means for deleting the new address over the network.

5. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said address delete means deletes the new address after the non-arrival information has been sent to the new address.

6. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said address delete means deletes the new address when a prescribed time elapsed after the e-mail was sent by said mail sending means.

7. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

image input means for inputting image data; and

attach means for attaching the image data inputted by said image input means to the e-mail.

8. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

store means for storing image data inputted by said image input means; and

image data delete means for deleting image data stored by said storing means after the non-arrival information of the e-mail to which the image data attached has been sent to the new address.

9. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said image input means includes:

reading means for electrooptically reading an image of an original document;

image receiving means for receiving an image from an external device; and

facsimile communicating means, and wherein

the image data can be inputted from any means belonging to said image input means.

10. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

print means for printing image data inputted by said image input means.

11. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said image input means includes:

reading means for electrooptically reading an image of an original document.

12. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

print means for printing image data inputted by said reading means.

13. A data communication apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

means for facsimile communicating an image.