Facsimile apparatus

• US 6,618,160 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kato, Tokunori
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TOMMY D
• Application Number:
  US09/174,089
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/437, 358/447, 358/440, 358/468, 709/207, 709/206
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• 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 1/00925 Inhibiting an operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa

Abstract

A facsimile apparatus capable of automatically preventing image data transmitted from a specific sender is provided. When a polling time comes which is set to access a mail server in order to fetch an e-mail, a CPU of the facsimile apparatus accesses the mail server. After detecting the connection to the mail server, the CPU receives an e-mail from the mail server. The CPU then analyzes the character codes contained at the position of the sender name in the e-mail. If it is determined that a predetermined character code is contained, the CPU performs the reverse format conversion of the image data attached to the e-mail, expands the image data, and outputs an instruction to print the image data.

Claims

1. A facsimile apparatus comprising:

a reception device that receives image information and information related to the image information, from an external communication device via a communication line wherein the related information includes text data formed by a plurality of character codes, the related information being unrelated to identification of the external communication device;

a print device that prints at least the image information received by the reception device, onto a print medium;

a determination device that determines whether the related information received by the reception device includes predetermined information by determining whether a predetermined character code is present in the text data; and

a print prevention device that prevents printing from being performed by the print device if the determination device determines that the related information received by the reception device includes the predetermined information.

2. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination device determines whether the related information received by the reception device includes the predetermined sender information that indicates a sender of the image information.

3. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination device determines whether the related information received by the reception device includes predetermined transmission purpose information that indicates a purpose of transmission of the image information.

4. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image information is in an image file format and attached to an e-mail.

5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the reception device is capable of receiving the image information and the related information via an Internet.

6. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the related information is received by the external communication device prior to reception of the image information.

7. A facsimile apparatus comprising:

a reception device that receives image information and unenciphered information related to the image information, from an external communication device via a communication line wherein the related information includes text data formed by a plurality of character codes, the related information being unrelated to identification of the external communication device;

a print device that prints at least the image information of the image information and the related unenciphered information received by the reception device, onto a print medium;

a determination device that determines whether the related unenciphered information received by the reception device includes predetermined information by determining whether a predetermined character code is present in the text data; and

a print execution device that executes printing by the print device if the determination device determines that the related unenciphered information received by the reception device includes the predetermined information.

8. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the determination device determines whether the related information received by the reception device includes predetermined sender information that indicates a sender of the image data.

9. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the determination device determines whether the related information received by the reception device includes predetermined transmission purpose information that indicates a purpose of transmission of the image information.

10. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image information is in an image file format and attached to an e-mail, and the reception device is capable of receiving the image information and the related information via an Internet.

11. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the related information is received from the external communication device prior to reception of the image information.

12. A method of operating a facsimile apparatus comprising:

receiving image information and information related to the image information, from an external communication device via a communication line wherein the related information includes text data formed by a plurality of character codes, the related information being unrelated to identification of the external communication device;

printing at least the received image information onto a print medium;

determining whether the received related information includes predetermined information by determining whether a predetermined character code is present in the text data; and

preventing printing if it is determined that the received related information includes the predetermined information.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the determination step determines whether the received related information includes predetermined sender information that indicates a sender of the image information.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the determination step determines whether the received related information includes predetermined transmission purpose information that indicates a purpose of transmission of the image information.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the image information is in an image file format and attached to an e-mail.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the image information and the related information are capable of being received via an Internet.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the related information is received from the external communication device prior to reception of the image information.