Multifunction peripheral device, communication terminal apparatus, and method of operating the same

• US 20100053692A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oki Data Corporation (OKI Electric Industry Company Limited)
• Inventors: Machiyama, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

A communication terminal apparatus comprises: a communication history information part storing a communication history related to at least one of destination information of a receiver and destination information of a sender; a user information part storing user information corresponding to a plurality of users; a security function setting part enabling whether or not the destination information is outputted in a communication management report; and an output part configured to output the communication management report containing a plurality of communication histories of the users based on an output instruction by a first user, wherein when the security function setting part is in a state that the destination information is not outputted, the communication management report does not contain the destination information that does not correspond to the communication history of the first user.

Claims

1. A communication terminal apparatus comprising:

a communication history information part configured to store a communication history related to at least one of destination information of a receiver and destination information of a sender;

a user information part configured to store user information corresponding to a plurality of users who can operate the communication terminal apparatus;

a security function setting part configured to enable whether or not the destination information is outputted in a communication management report; and

an output part configured to output the communication management report containing a plurality of communication histories of the plurality of users based on an output instruction by a first user from the plurality of users, wherein

when the security function setting part is in a state that the destination information is not outputted, the communication management report does not contain the destination information that does not correspond to the communication history of the first user.

2. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the security function setting part is in a state that the destination information is not outputted, the communication management report contains at least the information of communication regarding the destination information that corresponds to the communication history of the first user.

3. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication management report is displayed at a host device that is connected to the communication terminal apparatus through a communication network.

4. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising,

a web page processing unit displaying the communication management report through a web browser on the host device.

5. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication network is the Internet.

6. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the output part includes a printing unit configured to output the communication management report in a printed format.

7. The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the user information part includes user identification information and associated password information that can be used to authenticate a current user of the communication terminal apparatus, and

wherein the security function setting part is configured to enable the destination information to be outputted in the communication management report only when the sender is the authenticated current user.

8. A method of operating a communication terminal apparatus, comprising:

receiving a request for outputting a communication management report including communication history information relating to one or more data communications, the communication history information including destination information for each of the one or more data communications;

determining based on a security function setting what portion of the set of destination information will be included in the communication management report if some of the set of destination information will be included in the communication management report;

acquiring some or all of the communication history information from a memory element, including any portion of the destination information that has been determined to be included in the communication management report;

generating the communication management report based on the acquired communication history information; and

outputting the communication management report using an output part.

9. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outputting comprises:

physically printing the communication management report.

10. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outputting comprises:

electronically sending the communication management report to a remote device; and

displaying the communication management report on the remote device.

11. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the remote device is a computer, and

wherein the displaying of the communication management report is performed using a web browser on the computer.

12. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 10,

wherein the remote device is one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a fax machine, and a netbook.

13. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

authenticating a user'"'"'s identity,

wherein the operation of determining what portion of the set of destination information will be included in the communication management report is performed based on the user'"'"'s identity.

14. The method of operating a communication terminal apparatus of claim 13 wherein the authenticating of the user'"'"'s identity comprises:

receiving a user identifier and password; and

determining whether the received user identifier and password are registered in a set of stored user information.

15. A multifunction peripheral device, comprising:

a central processing unit configured to control operation of the multifunction peripheral device;

a non-volatile read/write memory configured to store communication history information, user information, and security function information; and

an output part configured to output a communication management report including at least part of the communication history information;

wherein the communication history information relates to one or more previous communications between the multifunction peripheral device and a one or more remote devices, including a destination information and a sender'"'"'s identifier for each of the one or more previous communications, and

wherein the user information corresponds to a plurality of users who can operate the multifunction peripheral device,

wherein the security function information identifies whether and under what circumstances the destination information associated with each of the one or more previous communications will be outputted in the communication management report.

16. The multifunction peripheral device of claim 15, further comprising:

a web page processing unit configured to allow a remote user to browse through the communication history information using a remote web browser.

17. The multifunction peripheral device of claim 15, further comprising:

a user authentication unit configured to authenticate a user based on the user information stored in the non-volatile read/write memory and authentication information received from the user.