Electronic-mail apparatus

• US 6,614,891 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toyoda, Kiyoshi, Bando, Tatsuo, Sawada, Toshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US09/986,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400-402, 358/405, 358/434, 358/440, 358/442-443, 358/468, 358/1.15, 379/93.08, 379/93.15, 379/93.24, 379/100-1-1, 379/100.06, 379/100-8-1, 379/100-2-1, 379/100-6-1, 395/200.36, 395/200.48, 709/206, 709/246
• US Class Current: 379/100.13
• 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 1/00217 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 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• 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 1/32662 remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/002 Selecting or switching between an image communication channel and a non-image communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• 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 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3267 of motion picture signals, e.g. video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3283 Compression

Abstract

An electronic-mail reception apparatus has a body and includes a facsimile receiver that negotiates with a sender before receiving image data, to receive image data in facsimile format from the sender via a telephone network. An electronic-mail receiver receives image data in an electronic mail format and character code data in the electronic mail format from a mail sender via a communication network. A converter converts the image data in the electronic mail format into image data in the facsimile format, a font section converts the character code data received by the electronic-mail receiver into image data, and an output section outputs the image data converted by the converter and the image data converted by the font section. The facsimile receiver, the electronic-mail receiver, the converter, the font section and the output section are integrated in the body of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An electronic-mail reception apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a facsimile receiver that negotiates with a sender before receiving image data, to receive image data in a facsimile format from the sender via a telephone network;

an electronic-mail receiver that receives data in an electronic mail format including one of image data and character code data via a communication network;

a processor operating in accordance with a program and that determines whether the data received by the electronic-mail receiver is the image data or the character code data based upon data format information of the received data;

a converter that converts the received data in the electronic mail format into a printable image data based upon a determination, by the processor that the received data is image data;

a font section that converts the received data in the electronic mail format into the printable image data based upon the determination by the processor that the received data is character code data; and

an output section that outputs the printable image data converted by one of said converter and said font section,

wherein said facsimile receiver, said electronic-mail receiver, said processor, said converter, said font section and said output section are integrated in the apparatus.

2. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output section comprises a printer.

3. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor refers to data format information in a header of the received data in the electronic-mail format to determine whether the received data is the image data or the character code data.

4. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an acceptor that converts document data into image data;

a compressor that compresses the image data;

a facsimile transmitter that transmits the compressed image data to the designated facsimile destination via the telephone network; and

an electronic-mail transmitter that transmits the compressed image data converted into an electronic-mail format to the designated electronic mail destination address via the communication network.

5. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said font section comprises a memory which stores a relationship between character code data and printable image data.

6. An electronic-mail reception apparatus, comprising:

an electronic-mail receiver that receives data in an electronic mail format including one of image data and character code data via a communication network;

a processor operating in accordance with a program and that determines whether the data received by the electronic-mail receiver includes one of the image data and the character code data based upon data format information of the received data;

a converter that converts the received data into a printable image data when said processor determines that the received data is image data;

a font section that converts the character code data into the printable image data when said processor determines that the received data is character code data;

a printer that prints the printable image data converted by one of said converter and said font section,

wherein said electronic-mail receiver, said processor, said converter, said font section and said printer are integrated in the apparatus.

7. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processor determines whether the data received by said electronic mail receiver includes one of the image data and the character code data by referring to a header attached to the electronic mail.

8. An electronic-mail reception apparatus, comprising:

an electronic-mail receiver that receives data in an electronic mail format including one of image data and character code data via a communication network;

a processor operating in accordance with a program and that detects whether the data received by the electronic-mail receiver is one of the image data and the character code data based upon data format information of the received data;

a converter that converts the received data into a printable image data when said processor detects that the received data is image data

a font section that converts the character code data into the printable image data when said processor detects that the received data is character code data;

a printer that prints the printable image data obtained by one of said converter and said font section,

wherein said electronic-mail receiver, said processor, said converter, said font section and said printer are integrated in the apparatus.

9. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said processor refers to data format information in a header of the data received in the electronic-mail format to detect whether the received data is the image data or the character code data.

10. The electronic-mail reception apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said font section comprises a memory which stores a relationship between character code data and image data.

11. A method for receiving data, utilizing an electronic-mail communication apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving image data in a facsimile format via a telephone network;

receiving electronic mail data including one of image data and character code data via a communication network;

detecting whether the received electronic mail data is the image data or the character code data based upon data format information of the received data;

converting the image data into a printable image data by a converter based upon a detection that the received data is the image data;

converting the character code data into the printable image data by a font section based upon the detection that the received data is the character code data;

outputting the printable image data converted by one of the converter and the font section,

wherein the receiving image data in the facsimile format, the receiving electronic mail data, the detecting, the converting the image data, the converting the character code data and the outputting are performed in the electronic-mail communication apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the outputting comprises printing.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the detecting refers to data format information in a header of the received data to detect whether the received data is the image data or the character code data.

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

scanning documents to obtain image data;

compressing the image data;

transmitting the compressed image data to a designated facsimile destination via the telephone network; and

transmitting the compressed image data converted into an electronic-mail format to a designated electronic mail destination address via the communication network.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the converting the character code data utilizes a memory which stores a relationship between character code data and image data.

16. A method for receiving data, utilizing an electronic-mail communication apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving electronic mail data including one of image data and character code data via a communication network;

determining whether the received electronic mail data is one of the image data or the character code data based upon data format information of the received data;

converting the image data into a printable image data by a converter when the determining determines that the electronic mail data is image data;

converting the character code data into the printable image data by a font section when the determining determines that the electronic mail data is character code data;

printing the printable image data converted by one of the converter and the font section,

wherein the receiving, the determining, the converting the image data, the converting the character code data and the printing are performed in the electronic-mail communication apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the determining determines whether the received electronic mail includes at least one of the image data and the character code data by referring to a header attached to the electronic mail.

18. A method for receiving data, utilizing an electronic-mail communication apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving electronic mail data including one of image data and character code data via a communication network;

detecting whether the received electronic mail data is the image data or the character code data based upon data format information of the electronic mail data;

converting the image data into a printable image data by a converter when the detecting detects that the electronic mail data is the image data;

converting the character code data into the printable image data by a font section when the detecting detects that the electronic mail data is the character code data;

printing the printable image data converted by one of the converter and the font section,

wherein the receiving, the detecting, the converting the image data, the converting the character code data and the printing are performed in the electronic-mail communication apparatus.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the detecting detects whether the received electronic mail data includes one of the image data and the character code data by referring to a header attached to the electronic mail data.

20. A method for receiving data, utilizing an electronic-mail communication apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving electronic mail data including one of image data and character code data;

detecting whether the received electronic mail data is the image data or the character code data based upon data format information of the received electronic mail data;

converting the image data into a printable image data by a converter when the detecting detects that the electronic mail data is the image data, and converting the character code data into the printable image data by a font section when the detecting detects that the electronic mail data is the character code data; and

printing the printable image data converted by one of the converter and the font section,

wherein the receiving, the detecting, the converting and the printing are performed in the electronic-mail communication apparatus.