Communication apparatus for receiving downloaded program data and data download method

• US 6,405,244 B1
• Filed: 03/09/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Bando, Tatsuo, Sawada, Toshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benson, Walter
• Application Number:
  US09/264,821
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 707/11, 707/104, 709/206, 358/452
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A download decision section decides whether or not an electronic mail received by a mail communication section is a DL instruction message indicative of an instruction for downloading a program. A notification/instruction section puts on a light of a lamp when the download instruction message is received, and outputs a download execution instruction when a confirmation button with lamp is pushed down. A DL execution section executes a download of the program according to a download execution instruction. The download execution section generates a download request message to a downloaded data storage server via the mail communication section, and extracts the program from a program attached electronic mail transmitted from the downloaded data storage server. Accordingly, it is possible to make a rewrite of data easier and to process various types of data. The above-mentioned processing thus facilitates a rewrite of data and enables various types of data to be processed.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus that receives program data downloaded from a server, comprising:

a mail reception section that receives an instructing electronic mail including a download instruction via a network, the instructing electronic mail not including the program data;

an indication section that indicates reception of the instructing electronic mail when the instructing electronic mail including the download instruction is received by said mail reception section;

an input section that instructs downloading of the program data in response to operation by an operator; and

a download section that transmits a download request message to the server in accordance with the instruction by said input section, receives a program electronic mail, having the program data attached, from the server, in response to the download request message, and extracts the program data from the program electronic mail.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores the extracted program data.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input section comprises a button exclusively used for the instructing download of the program data.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an authentication section that authenticates a sender of a received electronic mail, and said download section transmits the download request message to the server when said authentication section determines that the sender is authentic.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a further indication section that indicates a type of the downloaded program data, based on the download instruction.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the type of the downloaded program data indicates at least basic program and additional program.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printer that prints a type of the downloaded program data, based on the download instruction.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a scanner that accepts image data;

and

a facsimile section that transmits the image data to a destination.

9. A communication apparatus that receives a conversion table downloaded from a server, comprising:

a mail reception section that receives an instructing electronic mail including a download instruction via a network, the electronic mail not including the conversion table;

an indication section that indicates reception of the instructing electronic mail when the instructing electronic mail including the download instruction is received by said mail reception section;

an input section that instructs downloading of the conversion table in response to operation by an operator; and

a download section that transmits a download request message to the server in accordance with the instruction by said input section, receives a program electronic mail, having the conversion table attached from the server, in response to the download request message, and extracts the conversion table from the electronic mail.

10. A data download method for receiving program data downloaded from a server, comprising:

receiving an instructing electronic mail including a download instruction via a network, the instructing electronic mail not including the program data;

indicating reception of the instructing electronic mail when the instructing electronic mail including the download instruction is received;

instructing download of the program data in response to an operation by an operator;

transmitting a download request message to the server in accordance with the instruction in response to the operation by the operator,

receiving a program electronic mail having the program data attached, which is transmitted from the server, in response to the download request message; and

extracting the program data from the program electronic mail.

11. A data download method for receiving a conversion table downloaded from a server, comprising:

receiving an instructing electronic mail including a download instruction via a network, the instructing electronic mail not including the conversion table;

indicating reception of the instructing electronic mail when the instructing electronic mail including the download instruction is received;

instructing download of the conversion table in response to operation by an operator;

transmitting a download request message to the server in accordance with the instruction in response to the operation by the operator,

receiving a program electronic mail having the conversion table attached, which is transmitted from the server, in response to the download request message; and

extracting the conversion table from the program electronic mail.