Data transmission apparatus and method with control feature for transmitting data or transmitting a storage location of data

• US 6,931,432 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2000
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Application Number:
  US09/525,065
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/232, 707/10, 370/60, 710/107, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.17
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32117 in a separate transmission or protocol signal prior to or subsequent to the image data transmission, e.g. in digital identification signal [DIS], in non standard setup [NSS] or in non standard field [NSF] for mode signalling H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32368 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3216 of a job size, e.g. a number of images, pages or copies, size of file, length of message
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33328 Resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

In a data transmission apparatus, an input unit inputs data, and a transmission unit transmits the inputted data to a destination. A discrimination unit discriminates an attribute of the inputted data, and a storage unit stores the inputted data to a predetermined memory. A control unit controls a transmission operation of the transmission unit in accordance with a discrimination result obtained by the discrimination unit, such that the transmission unit transmits to the destination the inputted data or information indicating a storage location used by the storage unit.

Claims

1. A data transmission apparatus comprising:

an input unit, arranged to input data;

a transmission unit, arranged to transmit the data inputted by said input unit to a destination;

a discrimination unit, arranged to discriminate an attribute of the data inputted by said input unit;

a storage unit, arranged to store the data inputted by said input unit as a file; and

a control unit, arranged to control a transmission operation of said transmission unit in accordance with a discrimination result obtained by said discrimination unit,

wherein said control unit selectively controls a transmission operation such that said transmission unit transmits the data inputted by said input unit to the destination, or such that said transmission unit transmits storage location information and a message indicative of an access manner for accessing the file, which is stored in said storage unit, to the destination, in accordance with the discrimination result obtained by said discrimination unit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discrimination unit discriminates a data amount of the data inputted by said input unit.

3. A data transmission method comprising:

an input step, of inputting data;

a transmission step, of transmitting the data inputted in said input step to a destination;

a discrimination step, of discriminating an attribute of the data inputted in said input step;

a storage step, of storing the data inputted in said input step as a file in a storage unit; and

a control step, of controlling a transmission operation in said transmission step in accordance with a discrimination result obtained in said discrimination step,

wherein said control step includes selectively controlling a transmission operation such that, in said transmission step, the data inputted in said input step is transmitted to the destination, or such that, in said transmission step, storage location information and a message indicative of an access manner for accessing the file, which is stored in the storage unit, is transmitted to the destination, in accordance with the discrimination result obtained in said discrimination step.

4. A storage medium storing a computer-readable program for implementing a data transmission method, wherein the method comprises:

an input step, of inputting data;

a transmission step, of transmitting the data inputted in said input step to a destination;

a discrimination step, of discriminating an attribute of the data inputted in said input step;

a storage step, of storing the data inputted in said input step as a file in a storage unit; and

a control step, of controlling a transmission operation in said transmission step in accordance with a discrimination result obtained in said discrimination step,

wherein said control step includes selectively controlling a transmission operation such that, in said transmission step, the data inputted in said input step is transmitted to the destination, or such that, in said transmission step, storage location information and a message indicative of an access manner for accessing the file, which is stored in the storage unit, is transmitted to the destination, in accordance with the discrimination result obtained in said discrimination step.