Image forming apparatus, image data processing apparatus, and storage medium

• US 20040036910A1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Fukazawa, Koshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,079,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• 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 1/00238 using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer output via network, e.g. network printing H04N1/00233
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32379 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0025 Adapting an image communication to a non-image communication or vice versa, e.g. data rate-conversion

Abstract

When received mail contains divided data, the divided data is stored in a RAM until it accumulates a predetermined amount. Then, the predetermined amount of divided mail data is combined to restore the undivided original data file for printing. Accordingly, the original image can be readily restored even from mail data which has been received as a plurality of pieces of mail.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

receiving means for receiving data;

first judging means for judging whether the received data belongs to original data divided into a plurality of pieces;

storage means for storing therein the received data when the first judging means judges that the received data belongs to the original data divided into the plurality of pieces;

second judging means for judging whether the data stored in the storage means has accumulated a predetermined amount;

restoration means for restoring the original data divided into the plurality of pieces into undivided original data from the data stored in the storage means, when the second judging means judges that the data stored in the storage means has accumulated the predetermined amount;

print data creation means for creating print data based on the restored undivided original data; and

image creation means for creating an image on a medium to be printed according to the print data.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second judging means judges whether the data stored in the storage means has accumulated the predetermined amount sequentially from a first piece of the data divided into the plurality of pieces.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising identification means for identifying a code attached to each piece of the data divided into a plurality of pieces to reconstruct the undivided original data.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means for receiving data comprises the restoration means for restoring the data divided into the plurality of pieces into undivided original data from the data stored in the storage means.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means receives the data via an internet.

6. A data processing method for an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

temporarily storing data transmitted via a communication line in a buffer;

first judging whether the data stored in the buffer belongs to original data divided into a plurality of pieces;

second judging whether the data stored in the buffer has accumulated a predetermined amount when the first judging step determines that the data stored in the buffer belongs to the original data divided into the plurality of pieces;

receiving the data stored in the buffer when the second judging step determines that the data stored in the buffer has accumulated the predetermined amount;

restoring undivided original data from the received predetermined amount of data; and

creating, based on the restored undivided original data, print data used to drive a printing device to create an image on a medium to be printed.

7. The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein the second judging step determines whether the data stored in the buffer has accumulated the predetermined amount sequentially from a first piece of the data divided into the plurality of pieces.

8. The data processing method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of temporality storing the received predetermined amount of data after the receiving step.

9. The data processing method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the step of restoring undivided original data from the received predetermined amount of data takes place in a device receiving the transmitted data.

10. The data processing method according to claim 6, wherein the data stored in the buffer is transmitted via an internet.

11. A storage medium for storing a program to operate an image forming apparatus, the main program comprising:

a program for receiving data;

a first judging program for judging whether the received data belongs to original data divided into a plurality of pieces;

a program for storing the received data in a buffer when the first judging program judges that the received data belongs to the original data divided into the plurality of pieces;

a second judging program for judging whether the received and stored data has accumulated a predetermined amount;

a program for restoring undivided original data from the data stored in the buffer when the second judging program determines that the received and stored data has accumulated the predetermined amount; and

a program for creating print data based on the restored undivided original data.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the second judging program judges whether the accumulated predetermined amount is sequential from a first piece of the original data divided into a plurality of pieces.

13. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the program for restoring undivided original data from the data stored in the buffer is executed by a device that receives the received data.

14. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the received data is received via an internet.

15. A data transmission and reception system, comprising:

a receiving device that receives data;

a transmitting device that transmits, to a communication line, the data addressed to the receiving device, the receiving device receiving the data via the communication line, wherein;

the transmitting device comprises;

determining means for determining whether the data is to be divided into a plurality of pieces;

dividing means for dividing the data into the plurality of pieces; and

identifying means for identifying each of the plurality of pieces, wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces is provided with an identification code that indicates an original undivided data to which the piece belongs and indicates a placement of the piece for restoration of the original undivided data; and

the receiving device, comprises;

first judging means for judging whether the received data belongs to one of the plurality of pieces;

storage means for storing therein the one of the plurality of pieces;

second judging means for judging whether the stored pieces make-up a predetermined amount;

restoration means for restoring the plurality of pieces into the original undivided data based on the identification code;

print data creation means for creating print data based on the restored undivided original data; and

image creation means for creating an image on a medium according to the print data.

16. The data transmission and reception system according to claim 15, wherein the determining means for determining whether the data is to be divided into a plurality of pieces comprises an operator which instructs the dividing means to divide the data if the operator determines if the data should be divided in order to decrease the time required to transmit the data.

17. The data transmission and reception system according to claim 15, wherein the communication line is an internet.