Image forming apparatus, image data processing apparatus, and storage medium

• US 6,633,399 B1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Fukazawa, Koshi
• Primary Examiner(s): WALLERSON, MARK E
• Application Number:
  US09/236,539
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.1, 358/1.16, 358/1.17, 358/442, 358/444, 358/434, 358/440, 358/402, 358/468, 358/450, 358/407, 379/100.01
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• 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 1/00238 using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer output via network, e.g. network printing H04N1/00233
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32379 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0025 Adapting an image communication to a non-image communication or vice versa, e.g. data rate-conversion

Abstract

When received mail contains divided data, the divided data is stored in a RAM until it accumulates a predetermined amount. Then, the predetermined amount of divided mail data is combined to restore the undivided original data file for printing. Accordingly, the original image can be readily restored even from mail data which has been received as a plurality of pieces of mail.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

first judging means for judging whether data sorted on a mail spool, located at a mail server, belongs to the data divided into a plurality of pieces;

receiving means for receiving the data stored on the mail spool located at the mail server;

storage means for storing therein the received data;

restoration means for restoring the data divided into the plurality of pieces into undivided original data from the data stored in the storage means;

print data creation means for creating print data based on the restored undivided original data; and

image creation means for creating an image on a medium to be printed according to the print data created by the print data creation means.

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

second judging means for judging whether the data stored on the mail spool has accumulated a predetermined amount, wherein the restoration means restores the undivided original data when the second judging means judges that the data stored on the mail spool has accumulated the predetermined amount.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second judging means judges whether the data stored on the mail spool has accumulated the predetermined amount sequentially from a first piece of the data divided into the plurality of pieces.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the second judging means determines the stored data has accumulated the predetermined amount, the receiving means receives the data of the predetermined amount and stores it in the storage means.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising identification means for identifying a code attached to each piece of data of the data divided into a plurality of pieces to reconstruct the undivided original data.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means for receiving data comprises the restoration means for restoring the data divided into the plurality of pieces into undivided original data from the data stored in the storage means.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means receives the data via an internet.

8. A data processing method for an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:

temporarily storing data, transmitted via a communication line, in a buffer located at a mail server;

first judging whether the data stored in the buffer belongs to data divided into a plurality of pieces;

second judging whether the data stored in the buffer has accumulated a predetermined amount when it is judged, in the first judging step, that the data stored in the buffer belongs to the data divided into the plurality of pieces;

receiving the data stored in the buffer when it is judged, in the second judging step, that the data stored in the buffer has accumulated the predetermined amount;

restoring undivided original data from the received predetermined amount of data; and

creating, based on the restored undivided original data, print data used to drive a printing device to create an image on a medium to be printed.

9. The data processing method according to claim 8, wherein it is judged, in the second judging step, whether the data stored in the buffer has accumulated the predetermined amount sequentially from a first piece of the data divided into the plurality of pieces.

10. The data processing method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of retrieving the predetermined amount of data from the mail server after the second judging step.

11. The data processing method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of temporarily storing the received predetermined amount of data after the receiving step.

12. The data processing method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the step of restoring undivided original data from the received predetermined amount of data takes place in a device receiving the transmitted data.

13. The data processing method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving the data stored in the buffer via an internet.

14. A storage medium for storing a program to operate an image forming apparatus, the main program comprising:

a query program for querying a mail server to determine received data stored on the mail server;

a first judging program for judging whether the received data belongs to data divided into a plurality of pieces;

a program for storing the received data on a mail spool when the first judging program judges that the received data belongs to the data divided into the plurality of pieces;

a program for restoring undivided original data from the data stored in the mail spool; and

a program for creating print data based on the restored undivided original data.

15. The storage medium according to claim 14, the main program further comprising a second judging program for judging whether the received and stored data has accumulated a predetermined amount, wherein the restoring program is initiated when the second judging program determines the received and stored data has accumulated the predetermined amount.

16. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the second judging program judges whether the accumulated predetermined amount is sequential from a first piece of the data divided into a plurality of pieces.

17. The storage medium according to claim 15, the main program instructing transmission of the received data to the image forming device when the second judging program determines the received and stored data on the mail spool has accumulated the predetermined amount.

18. The storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the program for restoring undivided original data from the data stored in the buffer is executed by a device that receives the received data.

19. The storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the received data is received via an internet.

20. A data transmission and reception system, comprising:

a receiving device that receives data;

a transmitting device that transmits, to a mail server via a communication line, the data addressed to the receiving device, the receiving device receiving the data via the communication line, wherein;

the transmitting device comprises;

determining means for determining whether the data is to be divided into a plurality of pieces;

dividing means for dividing the data into the plurality of pieces; and

identifying means for identifying each of the plurality of pieces, wherein each piece of the plurality of pieces is provided with an identification code that indicates an original undivided data to which the piece belongs and indicates a placement of the piece for restoration of the original undivided data;

the mail server comprises;

storage means for storing therein the one of the plurality of pieces;

the receiving device comprises;

first judging means for judging whether the data stored in the storage means of the mail server belongs to one of the plurality of pieces;

second judging means for judging whether the stored pieces make-up a predetermined amount;

restoration means for restoring the plurality of pieces into the original undivided data based on the identification code;

print data creation means for creating print data based on the restored undivided original data; and

image creation means for creating an image on a medium according to the print data.

21. The data transmission and reception system according to claim 20, wherein the determining means for determining whether the data is to be divided into a plurality of pieces comprises an operator which instructs the dividing means to divide the data if the operator determines if the data should be divided in order to decrease the time required to transmit the data.

22. The data transmission and reception system according to claim 20, wherein the communication line is an internet.