E-mail communication apparatus and data processing method and program

• US 20060212528A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tonegawa, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,734 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 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

An improved e-mail communication apparatus, a data processing method and a program are provided. First, an MFP 100 which receives an e-mail decides whether or not the e-mail is one of a plurality of split data generated by dividing image data in data amount units and stores the e-mail. The MFP 100 then decides whether or not all the split data of the image data are stored, and when all the split data are stored, the MFP 100 generates combined data by combining the plurality of split data and performs printing processing on recording paper based on the combined data.

Claims

1. An e-mail communication apparatus comprising:

receiving unit adapted to receive plurality of split e-mails which are generated by dividing electronic data in specified units;

storing unit adapted to store said split e-mails received by said receiving unit;

combining unit adapted to generate combined data by combining said 2 or more split e-mails stored in said storing unit;

accepting unit adapted to accept an instruction by an user to eliminate split e-mails stored in said storing unit in a case where said storing unit doesn'"'"'t store at least one of said split e-mails generated from said electronic data; and

eliminating unit adapted to eliminate 2 or more split e-mails which are generated from said electronic data and stored in said storing unit in accordance with the instruction accepted by said accepting unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said accepting unit accepts the instruction to select one of said split e-mails stored in said storing unit;

and

said eliminating unit eliminates said split e-mail selected by said instruction to select together with other split e-mails generated from said electronic data and stored in said storing unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said split e-mails are generated by dividing said electronic data in specified data amount units.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said combining unit combines all of said split e-mails generated from said electronic data in a case where all of the split e-mails generated from said electronic data are stored in said storing unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising transfer unit adapted to transfer said combined data to an external communication apparatus.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said eliminating unit eliminates all other split e-mails stored in said storing unit including identification information identical to the identification information included in said split e-mails selected by said instruction to select unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic data is data related to an e-mail,

in a case where a split e-mail including header information of said electronic data out of the plurality of split e-mails generated from said electronic data is stored in said storing unit, said combining unit generates combined data within a range that the data can be combined using the split e-mail including said header information and subsequent split e-mails.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic data is data related to an e-mail,

in a case where a split e-mail including header information of said electronic data out of the plurality of split e-mails generated from said electronic data is not stored in said storing unit, said combining unit generates header information from any one split e-mail related to said split e-mail stored in said storing unit and generates combined data within a range that the data can be combined using said header information and said split e-mail stored in said storing unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising time of receipt storing unit for storing a time of receipt at which said receiving unit receives said split e-mail,

wherein said eliminating unit eliminates a split e-mail which has been left for a specified time from said time of receipt out of the split e-mails stored in said storing unit together with other split e-mails generated from said electronic data related to said split e-mails.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said eliminating unit eliminates all other split e-mails stored in said storing unit including identification information identical to the identification information included in said at least one of split e-mails which has been left for a specified time from said time of receipt.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising power supply control unit adapted to shift to a sleep mode in which the function of a control circuit which controls said printing apparatus is stopped,

wherein said power supply control unit continues said sleep mode in a case where said specified time has passed in said sleep mode, and

said eliminating unit eliminates said split e-mail which has been left for said specified time in a case where said power supply control unit cancels said sleep mode.

12. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising size deciding unit adapted to decide, in a case where a transfer destination of said combined data by said transfer unit is a communication apparatus which communicates using an e-mail protocol, whether or not the size of said combined data is a transmittable size;

and

dividing unit adapted to, in a case where said size deciding unit decides that transmission in the size of said combined data is not transmittable, divide said combined data and generating a plurality of split e-mails,

wherein said transfer unit transfers said plurality of split e-mails divided by said dividing unit to said communication apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein in a case where a transfer destination of said combined data is a communication apparatus which communicates using facsimile, said transfer unit transfers said combined data without dividing said combined data.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising printing unit adapted to perform printing processing on a recording paper based on the combined data generated by said combining unit.

15. A data processing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving plurality of split e-mails which are generated by dividing electronic data in specified units;

a storing step of storing said split e-mails in storing unit received by said receiving step;

a combining step of generating combined data by combining said 2 or more split e-mails stored in said storing unit;

an accepting step of accepting an instruction by an user to eliminate split e-mails stored in said storing unit in a case where said storing unit doesn'"'"'t store at least one of said split e-mails generated from said electronic data; and

an eliminating step of eliminating 2 or more split e-mails which are generated from said electronic data and stored in said storing unit in accordance with the instruction accepted by said receiving step.

16. A program for causing a computer to execute:

a receiving step of receiving plurality of split e-mails which are generated by dividing electronic data in specified units;

a storing step of storing said split e-mails in storing unit;

a combining step of generating combined data by combining said 2 or more split e-mails stored in said storing unit;

an accepting step of accepting an instruction by an user to eliminate split e-mails stored in said storing unit in a case where said storing unit doesn'"'"'t store at least one of said split e-mails generated from said electronic data; and

an eliminating step of eliminating 2 or more split e-mails which are generated from said electronic data and stored in said storing unit in accordance with the instruction accepted by said accepting step.

17. A computer-readable storage medium comprising the program according to claim 16.