IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20100321718A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mihira, Yoshiro
• Application Number:
  US12/817,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20100321718A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• 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 1/00217 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 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00424 using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32614 related to a single-mode communication, e.g. at the transmitter or at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32641 of transmission or transmitted data, e.g. interruption or wrong number of pages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32657 locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32662 remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/333 Mode signalling or mode changing; Handshaking therefor
• 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 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• 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 2201/0096 : Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33314 : of reading or reproducing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 : Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

An image forming apparatus communicates with an information apparatus through wireless communication. The image forming apparatus determines whether data received from the information apparatus is in an e-mail format. When it is determined that the received data is in an e-mail format, the image forming apparatus displays a letting screen for letting a user select forming an image of the e-mail text or forming an image of an attached file. When it is determined that the received data is not an e-mail format, the apparatus displays a setting screen for setting an image forming condition, upon reception of the data.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus communicable with an information apparatus through wireless communication, comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine whether data received from the information apparatus is in an e-mail format; and

a display unit configured, in response to reception of the data, to display a letting screen to let a user select forming an image of e-mail text included in the data or forming an image of an attached file included in the data, when the data is in an e-mail format, and to display a setting screen for setting an image forming condition, when the data is not in an e-mail format.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display unit displays different setting screens according to a kind of the received data, when the data is not in an e-mail format.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the data is not in an e-mail format, the display unit sets a button as non-selectable on the setting screen, which corresponds to a particular image forming condition, if the data is a particular kind of data.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an authorization unit configured to perform an authorization process for the user;

a second determination unit configured to determine whether the authorized user can use a function, using restriction information indicating a function which use is restricted for each user, among functions in the image forming apparatus; and

a restriction unit configured to restrict use of a function that the user cannot use based on a determination result.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the letting screen is a screen displaying a button for selecting forming the image of e-mail text or forming the image of the attached file, on a setting screen for setting an image forming condition.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display unit displays the setting screen that restricts selection of file data to be formed as an image, when the data determined as data not in an e-mail format is text data, and

the display unit displays the setting screen that restricts selection of text data to be formed as an image, when the data determined as data not in an e-mail format is not text data.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image forming unit configured to form an image of the received data, according to the image forming condition.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless communication is infrared communication, and

the image forming apparatus starts infrared communication with the information apparatus, in response to a user instruction that is input for starting communication to the image forming apparatus.

9. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus communicable with an information apparatus through wireless communication, the method comprising:

determining whether data received from the information apparatus is in an e-mail format; and

displaying a letting screen, in response to reception of the data, to let a user select forming an image of e-mail text included in the data or forming an image of an attached file included in the data, when the data is in an e-mail format, and displaying a setting screen for setting an image forming condition, when the data is not in an e-mail format.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising, when the data is not in an e-mail format, setting a button as non-selectable on the setting screen, which corresponds to a particular image forming condition, if the data is a particular kind of data.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

performing an authorization process for the user;

determining whether the authorized user can use a function, using restriction information indicating a function which use is restricted for each user, among functions in the image forming apparatus; and

restricting use of a function that the user cannot use based on a determination result.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the letting screen is a screen displaying a button for selecting forming the image of e-mail text or forming the image of the attached file, on a setting screen for setting an image forming condition.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the displaying displays the setting screen that restricts selection of file data to be formed as an image, when the data determined as data not in an e-mail format is text data, and

the displaying displays the setting screen that restricts selection of text data to be formed as an image, when the data determined as data not in an e-mail format is not text data.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the wireless communication is infrared communication, and

the image forming apparatus starts infrared communication with the information apparatus, in response to a user instruction that is input for starting communication to the image forming apparatus.

15. A recording medium storing a program for controlling an image forming apparatus, communicable with an information apparatus through wireless communication, to execute operations comprising:

determining whether data received from the information apparatus is in an e-mail format; and

displaying a letting screen, in response to reception of the data, to let a user select forming an image of e-mail text included in the data or forming an image of an attached file included in the data, when the data is in an e-mail format, and displaying a setting screen for setting an image forming condition, when the data is not in an e-mail format.

16. The recording medium according to claim 15, further comprising, when the data is not in an e-mail format, setting a button as non-selectable on the setting screen, which corresponds to a particular image forming condition, if the data is a particular kind of data.

17. The recording medium according to claim 15, further comprising:

performing an authorization process for the user;

determining whether the authorized user can use a function, using restriction information indicating a function which use is restricted for each user, among functions in the image forming apparatus; and

restricting use of a function that the user cannot use based on a determination result.

18. The recording medium according to claim 15, wherein

the letting screen is a screen displaying a button for selecting forming the image of e-mail text or forming the image of the attached file, on a setting screen for setting an image forming condition.

19. The recording medium according to claim 15, wherein

the displaying displays the setting screen that restricts selection of file data to be formed as an image, when the data determined as data not in an e-mail format is text data, and

the displaying displays the setting screen that restricts selection of text data to be formed as an image, when the data determined as data not in an e-mail format is not text data.

20. The recording medium according to claim 15, wherein

the wireless communication is infrared communication, and

the image forming apparatus starts infrared communication with the information apparatus, in response to a user instruction that is input for starting communication to the image forming apparatus.