Electronic-mail system for transmitting and receiving image data utilizing management of compatability transmission modes and capability information of destination terminals

• US 6,457,044 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: IwaZaki, Ryuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL HADY, NABIL M
• Application Number:
  US09/292,691
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/209, 709/228, 709/230, 709/232, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• 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 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33321 Image or page size, e.g. A3, A4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33328 Resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33357 Compression mode

Abstract

An electronic-mail address and communication condition information associated with the address are stored in an address book in correspondence with each other. If a destination address is registered in the address book, before image transmission, a CPU receives communication condition information corresponding to the destination address through an address book management section and determines the transmission mode to the S or B mode on the basis of the communication condition information. When the transmission mode is the B mode, parameters representing the conditions of the image are determined on the basis of the communication condition information. The CPU transmits the image under the determined conditions.

Claims

1. An electronic-mail system having, as transmission modes, a first transmission mode for fixing conditions of an image to be transmitted to default conditions and a second transmission mode for changing the conditions of the image to be transmitted in accordance with a capability of a receiving party apparatus, said electronic-mail system comprising:

address storage means for storing, in correspondence with each other, an electronic-mail address, mode information representing whether the receiving party apparatus is compatible with the first transmission mode or the second transmission mode, and, when the receiving party apparatus is compatible with the second transmission mode, capability information representing a capability of the receiving party apparatus;

address registration means for registering the electronic-mail address, the mode information, and the capability information in said address storage means;

determination means for determining whether an electronic-mail address designated as a transmission destination is stored in said address storage means;

decision means for, when said determination means determines that the electronic-mail address designated as the transmission destination is stored in said address storage means, deciding the transmission mode to be used, based on the transmission mode information stored in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address, and when the transmission mode is decided to be the second transmission mode, deciding communication conditions of the image to be transmitted, based on the capability information stored in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address; and

electronic-mail transmission means for transmitting the image, for which the communication conditions are decided by said decision means, in an electronic-mail format through a computer network;

wherein when said determination means determines that the electronic mail address designated as the transmission destination is not stored in said address storage means, said address registration means transmits predetermined electronic mail for requesting a capability notification, determines the transmission mode based on a presence/absence of answer mail, stores the determined transmission mode in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address, and stores capability information contained in the answer mail in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address.

2. An electronic-mail system having, as transmission modes, a first transmission mode for fixing conditions of an image to be transmitted to default conditions and a second transmission mode for changing the conditions of the image to be transmitted in accordance with a capability of a receiving party apparatus, said electronic-mail system comprising:

address storage means for storing, in correspondence with each other, an electronic-mail address, mode information representing whether the receiving party apparatus is compatible with the first transmission mode or the second transmission mode, and, when the receiving party apparatus is compatible with the second transmission mode, capability information representing a capability of the receiving party apparatus;

address registration means for registering the electronic-mail address, the mode information, and the capability information in said address storage means;

determination means for determining whether an electronic-mail address designated as a transmission destination is stored in said address storage means;

decision means for, when said determination means determines that the electronic-mail address designated as the transmission destination is stored in said address storage means, deciding the transmission mode to be used, based on the transmission mode information stored in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address, and when the transmission mode is decided to be the second transmission mode, deciding communication conditions of the image to be transmitted, based on the capability information stored in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address;

electronic-mail transmission means for transmitting the image, for which the communication conditions are decided by said decision means, in an electronic-mail format through a computer network; and

update means for transmitting predetermined electronic mail for requesting a capability notification to at least one electronic-mail address stored in said address storage means at a predetermined timing, and based on a presence/absence of answer mail and contents of the answer mail, updating at least the mode information stored in said address storage means;

wherein when said determination means determines that the electronic-mail address designated as the transmission destination is not stored in said address storage means, said address registration means transmits the electronic mail for requesting the capability notification, determines the transmission mode based on a presence/absence of answer mail, stores the determined transmission mode in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address, and stores capability information contained in the answer mail in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address.

3. An electronic-mail system having, as transmission modes, a first transmission mode for fixing conditions of an image to be transmitted to default conditions and a second transmission mode for changing the conditions of the image to be transmitted in accordance with a capability of a receiving party apparatus, said electronic-mail system comprising:

address storage means for storing, in correspondence with each other, an electronic-mail address, mode information representing whether the receiving party apparatus is compatible with the first transmission mode or the second transmission mode, and, when the receiving party apparatus is compatible with the second transmission mode, capability information representing a capability of the receiving party apparatus;

address registration means for registering the electronic-mail address, the mode information, and the capability information in said address storage means;

determination means for determining whether an electronic-mail address designated as a transmission destination is stored in said address storage means;

decision means for, when said determination means determines that the electronic-mail address designated as the transmission destination is stored in said address storage means, deciding the transmission mode to be used, based on the transmission mode information stored in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address, and when the transmission mode is decided to be the second transmission mode, deciding communication conditions of the image to be transmitted, based on the capability information stored in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address;

electronic-mail transmission means for transmitting the image, for which the communication conditions are decided by said decision means, in an electronic-mail format through a computer network; and

reception means for receiving electronic mail;

wherein when said determination means determines that the electronic mail address designated as the transmission destination is not stored in said address storage means, said address registration means transmits predetermined electronic mail for requesting a capability notification, determines the transmission mode based on a presence/absence of answer mail, stores the determined transmission mode in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address, and stores capability information contained in the answer mail in said address storage means in correspondence with the designated electronic-mail address; and

wherein said address registration means extracts an electronic-mail address of a transmission source described in the received mail, stores the extracted electronic-mail address in said address storage means in correspondence with mode information representing a mode used in reception of the received electronic mail, and when capability information associated with the transmission source is contained in the received electronic mail, stores the capability information in said address storage means in correspondence with the extracted electronic-mail address.