Communication apparatus and method for controlling same

• US 20050105140A1
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Hiroshi
• Application Number:
  US10/985,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20050105140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID

Abstract

A multifunction printer includes a scanner unit, a facsimile unit, an RFID reader/writer unit, a storage unit, and a core unit. The scanner unit reads an image on an original, to which an RFID tag is attached, as image data. The facsimile unit transmits the image data. The RFID reader/writer unit writes identification information, which is used for identifying image data to be transmitted by the facsimile unit, to the RFID tag and reads information stored in the RFID tag. The storage unit stores the identification information written by the RFID reader/writer unit, together with information regarding the transmission of the image data. The core unit performs control so as to report the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information, when the information read by the RFID reader/writer unit matches the identification information stored by the storage unit.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

an image reading unit configured to read an image on an original as image data, the original having a memory attached thereto;

a transmitting unit configured to transmit the image data read by the image reading unit;

a writing unit configured to write identification information, for identifying image data to be transmitted by the transmitting unit, to the memory;

a storage unit configured to store the identification information written by the writing unit, together with information related to the transmission of the image data;

an information reading unit configured to read information written in the memory; and

a controlling unit configured to perform control so as to report the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information, when the information read by the information reading unit matches the identification information stored by the storage unit.

2. The communication apparatus according claim 1, further comprising a converting unit configured to convert the image data read by the image reading unit into facsimile data, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the facsimile data to a facsimile apparatus.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an image accumulating unit configured to accumulate the image data read by the image reading unit, wherein after the image accumulating unit accumulates a predetermined amount of image data for multiple-page originals, the transmitting unit transmits the facsimile data corresponding to the image data.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory is attached to at least one of multiple-page originals and the writing units writes the identification information for identifying image data transmitted by the transmitting unit into the memory.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission-related information comprises at least one of information indicating that the image data is not transmitted, information indicating that the transmission of the image data is completed, information indicating a failure in the transmission of the image data, information for identification of the communication apparatus, and information regarding a destination of the transmitting unit.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the writing unit writes the identification information while the image reading unit reads the image on the original.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the writing unit writes the identification information after the image reading unit reads the image on the original.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the information read by the information reading unit does not match the identification information stored by the storage unit, the controlling unit performs control so as to report that no transmission-related information corresponding to the information read by the information reading unit is stored by the storage unit.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the information read by the information reading unit matches the identification information stored by the storage unit, the writing unit writes the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information into the memory.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the information read by the information reading unit matches the identification information stored by the storage unit, the controlling unit performs control so as to cause the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information to be displayed at a display unit.

11. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image forming unit configured to form an image onto recording paper, wherein, when the information read by the information reading unit matches the identification information stored by the storage unit, the controlling unit performs control so as to cause the image forming unit to form an image for the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information onto the recording paper.

12. The communication apparatus according claim 1, wherein the writing unit is capable of writing the identification information while being out of contact with the memory, and the information reading unit is capable of reading the information while being out of contact with the memory.

13. A method for controlling a communication apparatus, the method comprising:

an image reading step of reading an image on an original as image data, the original having a memory attached thereto;

a transmitting step of transmitting the image data read in the image reading step;

a writing step of writing identification information, for identifying image data to be transmitted in the transmitting step, to the memory;

a storing step of storing the identification information written in the writing step, together with information regarding the transmission of the image data;

an information reading step of reading information written in the memory; and

a controlling step of performing control so as to report the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information, when the information read in the information reading step matches the identification information stored in the storing step.

14. The method according claim 13, further comprising a converting step of converting the image data read in the image reading step into facsimile data, wherein in the transmitting step, the facsimile data is transmitted to a facsimile apparatus.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising an image accumulating step of accumulating the image data read in the image reading step, wherein after a predetermined amount of image data for multiple-page originals is accumulated in the image accumulating step, the facsimile data corresponding to the image data is transmitted in the transmitting step.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the memory is attached to at least one of multiple-page originals and, in the writing step, the identification information for identifying image data transmitted in the transmitting step is written to the memory.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the transmission-related information comprises at least one of information indicating that the image data is not transmitted, information indicating that the transmission of the image data is completed, information indicating a failure in the transmission of the image data, information for identification of the communication apparatus, and information regarding a destination set in the transmitting step.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein in the writing step, the identification information is written while the image on the original is read in the image reading step.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein in the writing step, the identification information is written after the image on the original is read in the image reading step.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein, when the information read in the information reading step does not match the identification information stored in the storing step, control is performed in the controlling step so as to report that no transmission-related information corresponding to the information read in the information reading step is stored in the storing step.

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein, when the information read in the information reading step matches the identification information stored in the storing step, the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information is written to the memory in the writing step.

22. The method according to claim 13, wherein, when the information read in the information reading step matches the identification information stored in the storing step, control is performed in the controlling step so as to cause the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information to be displayed at a display unit.

23. The method according to claim 13, further comprising an image forming step of forming an image onto recording paper, wherein, when the information read in the information reading step matches the identification information stored in the storing step, control is performed in the controlling step so as to cause an image for the transmission-related information stored together with the identification information to be formed on the recording paper in the image forming step.

24. The method according claim 13, wherein in the writing step, the identification information is writable without contact with the memory, and in the information reading step, the information is readable without contact with the memory.