Communication device having the capability of performing information exhange between a facsimile medium and an electronic information medium such as an e-mail medium

• US 20050120087A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Kenzou
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3278 using a protocol or handshaking signal, e.g. non-standard set-up [NSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data

Abstract

A communication device allows a user to get access from the outside via an external public line to obtain e-mail data stored in a device connected to an internal system via a computer network such as a LAN without causing a reduction in security. More specifically, the communication device is connected to a LAN via a LAN I/F and also connected to the public line via a line I/F. If the communication device receives a remote operation command via the public line, a CPU of the communication device gets access to a post office of an e-mail server so as to get e-mail data in accordance with the remote operation command. The obtained e-mail data is converted to facsimile image data and transmitted by means of facsimile to a specified destination.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, adapted to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproduce unit, adapted to reproduce an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received by said receiver;

a determining unit, adapted to determine whether the image based on the image file received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit or not;

a generating unit, adapted to generate error information in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is not reproducible; and

a printer, adapted to print the image reproduced by said reproduce unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible, and to print the error information generated by said generating unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is not reproducible.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a type of the image file attached in the e-mail data received by said receiver.

31. The apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising a memory adapted to store the e-mail data,

wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a remaining capacity of said memory.

32. The apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising a transfer unit adapted to transfer the e-mail data to a designated destination in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said transfer unit transfers the image based on the image file reproduced by said reproduce unit to the designated destination by a facsimile communication.

34. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said generating unit generates an error massage indicates a classification of an error as the error information.

35. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said generating unit generates e-mail address information of a sender of the received e-mail data and date information with the error information.

36. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said generating unit generates information for causing another apparatus to receive the e-mail data from the e-mail server.

37. A communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, adapted to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproduce unit, adapted to reproduce an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received by said receiver;

a determining unit, adapted to determine whether the image based on the image file received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit or not; and

a request unit, adapted to issue a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received by said receiver in a case where said determining unit determines that the image based on the image file received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a type of the image file attached in the e-mail data received by said receiver.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a memory adapted to store the e-mail data,

wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a remaining capacity of said memory.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a printer adapted to print the image reproduced by said reproduce unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

41. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a transfer unit adapted to transfer the e-mail data to a designated destination in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said transfer unit transfers the image based on the image file reproduced by said reproduce unit to the designated destination by a facsimile communication.

43. A communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, adapted to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproduce unit, adapted to reproduce an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received by said receiver;

a determining unit, adapted to determine whether the image based on the image file received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit or not;

a printer, adapted to print the image reproduced by said reproduce unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible;

a request unit, adapted to issue a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received by said receiver; and

a selection unit, adapted to select a timing for issuing the delete request from a plurality of conditions,

wherein said request unit issues the delete request at the timing selected by selection unit.

44. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the condition includes that said receiver received the e-mail data from the e-mail server.

45. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the condition includes that said determining unit has determined that the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit.

46. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the condition includes that said printer has printed the image reproduced by said reproduce unit.

47. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a type of the image file attached in the e-mail data received by said receiver.

48. The apparatus according to claim 43, further comprising a memory adapted to store the e-mail data,

wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a remaining capacity of said memory.

49. The apparatus according to claim 43, further comprising a transfer unit adapted to transfer the e-mail data to a designated destination in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said transfer unit transfers the image based on the image file reproduced by said reproduce unit to the designated destination by a facsimile communication.

51. A communication method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproducing step of reproducing an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received in said receiving step;

a determining step of determining whether the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproducing step or not;

a generating step of generating error information in a case where it is determined in said determining step that the image is not reproducible; and

a printing step of printing the image reproduced in said reproducing step in a case where it is determined in said determining step that the image is reproducible, and printing the error information generated in said generating step in a case where it is determined in said determining step that the image is not reproducible.

52. A communication method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproducing step of reproducing an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received in said receiving step;

a determining step of determining whether the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproducing step or not; and

a request step of issuing a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received in said receiving step in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproduce step.

53. A communication method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproducing step of reproducing an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received in said receiving step;

a determining step of determining whether the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproducing step or not;

a printing step of printing the image reproduced in said reproducing step in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image is reproducible;

a request step of issuing a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received in said receiving step; and

a selection step of selecting a timing for issuing the delete request from a plurality of conditions,

wherein said request step includes issuing the delete request at the timing selected in selection step.

54. A computer executable program, stored in a computer readable storage medium, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproducing step of reproducing an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received in said receiving step;

a determining step of determining whether the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproducing step or not;

a generating step of generating error information in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image is not reproducible; and

a printing step of printing the image reproduced in said reproducing step in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image is reproducible, and printing the error information generated in said generating step in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image is not reproducible.

55. A computer executable program, stored in a computer readable storage medium, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproducing step of reproducing an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received in said receiving step;

a determining step of determining whether the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproducing step or not; and

a request step of issuing a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received in said receiving step in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproduce step.

56. A computer executable program, stored in a computer readable storage medium, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproducing step of reproducing an image based on the image file attached in the e-mail data received in said receiving step;

a determining step of determining whether the image based on the image file received in said receiving step is reproducible in said reproducing step or not;

a printing step of printing the image reproduced in said reproducing step in a case where it is determined said determining step that the image is reproducible;

a request step of issuing a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received in said receiving step; and

a selection step of selecting a timing for issuing the delete request from a plurality of conditions,

wherein said request step includes issuing the delete request at the timing selected in selection step.