COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION APPARATUS BUILDING THE SYSTEM

• US 20070046981A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenzo Sekiguchi
• Original Assignee: Kenzo Sekiguchi
• Inventors: SEKIGUCHI, KENZO
• Granted Patent: US 8,582,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• 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 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Facsimile image data received from a normal facsimile apparatus connected to a general telephone network can be transmitted as an e-mail to the e-mail address of a computer network such as a LAN or the like designated by the source facsimile apparatus. An apparatus has a LAN I/F (6-14) for connecting to the LAN, and a line I/F (6-6) for connecting to the public telephone network. Upon reception of a remote instruction from the public telephone network, a CPU (6-3) converts received facsimile image data into e-mail data, and transmits the converted e-mail data to the e-mail address designated by the received remote instruction.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A facsimile apparatus comprising:

a receiver, that receives image data according to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from a sender;

a converter, that converts the image data received by said receiver into an image file, and converts the image file and text data for explaining the image file into e-mail data in which the image file is one part and the text data is another part under MIME format; and

a transmitter, that transmits the e-mail data obtained by said converter through a computer network.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a recognition unit that recognizes a telephone number of the sender and a reception date of the image data received by said receiver, wherein the text data for explaining the image file indicates the telephone number and/or the reception date.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transmitter transmits the e-mail data to a destination specified by information received by said receiver.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a printer that prints an image based on the image data received by said receiver; and

a controller that controls such that the image data received by said receiver is transmitted by said transmitter in a case where the information for specifying the destination is received by said receiver, and the image based on the image data received by said receiver is printed by said printer in a case where the information for specifying the destination is not received by said receiver.

6. A method for a facsimile apparatus comprising the steps of:

receiving image data according to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from a sender;

converting the received image data into an image file, and converting the image file and text data for explaining the image file into e-mail data in which the image file is one part and the text data is another part under MIME format; and

transmitting the e-mail data obtained by the converting step through a computer network.

7. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon for a facsimile apparatus, the computer program comprising:

program code means for receiving image data according to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from a sender;

program code means for converting the received image data into an image file, and converting the image file and text data for explaining the image file into e-mail data in which the image file is one part and the text data is another part under MIME format; and

program code means for transmitting the e-mail data obtained by the converting code means through a computer network.