Data communication apparatus

• US 7,027,192 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawai, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallerson, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Menberu, Beniyam
• Application Number:
  US09/964,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20020118396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 358/402, 358/1.6, 358/1.15, 358/1.9, 358/440, 370/490, 379/93.23, 379/93.24, 379/100.08, 345/1.1, 707/6, 710/62
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• 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 1/00387 Multiple functions per key
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32058 Abbreviated dialing, e.g. one-touch dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

When characters are input, the input information is sequentially displayed on a first display, an e-mail address, which is registered in a one-touch key registration area, is retrieved by using the input information, and the retrieved e-mail address is displayed on a second display. Further, when an @ mark is input after a character string input, the information displayed on the second display is switched to a domain name read from the domain name registration area. Thus, the @ mark key, which is always used to input e-mail addresses, is also utilized to switch the display information. Accordingly, the data communication apparatus is capable to prevent the inconvenience of inputting the entire e-mail addresses and to prevent input errors.

Claims

1. A data communication apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of domain names associated with e-mail addresses;

a panel configured to input at least one character of a user name of an e-mail address and an @ mark, and to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

a display configured to display data; and

a controller configured to;

control the display to display the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel;

determine whether the @ mark is input by the panel when the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address is displayed;

determine whether the panel has been operated to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

clear the at least one character displayed on the display, when the @ mark is input by the panel and when the panel has been operated to select the domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

control the display to display a domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory without inputting, by the panel, of a character after the @ mark, when the @ mark is determined to be input by the panel and when it is determined that the panel has been operated to select the domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

display the selected domain name without displaying the character input by the panel before the @ mark is input by the panel;

generate the e-mail address, based on the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel, the @ mark input by the panel, and the displayed domain name, when the displayed domain name is selected by the panel; and

transmit an e-mail to a destination, based on the generated e-mail address.

2. A data communication apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of domain names associated with e-mail addresses;

a panel comprising a set key and being configured to input at least one character of a user name of an e-mail address and an @ mark, and to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

a display configured to display data; and

a controller configured to;

control the display to display the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel;

determine whether the @ mark is input by the panel when the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address is displayed;

determine whether the panel has been operated to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

control the display to display a domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory without inputting, by the panel, of a character after the @ mark, when the @ mark is determined to be input by the panel and when it is determined that the panel has been operated to select the domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

select, upon operation of the set key, the displayed domain name;

control the display to display another domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory, when the panel is operated to select the another domain name after the displayed domain name is selected by the set key;

generate the e-mail address, based on the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel, the @ mark input by the panel, and the displayed another domain name, when the displayed another domain name is selected by the panel; and

transmit an e-mail to a destination, based on the generated e-mail address.

3. A data communication apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of domain names associated with e-mail addresses;

a panel configured to input at least one character of a user name of an e-mail address and an @ mark, and to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

a display comprising a first display section and a second display section and being configured to display data; and

a controller configured to;

control the display to display the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel;

determine whether the @ mark is input by the panel when the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address is displayed;

determine whether the panel has been operated to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

control the display to display a domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory without inputting, by the panel, of a character after the @ mark, when the @ mark is determined to be input by the panel and when it is determined that the panel has been operated to select the domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

control the display to display, at the first display section, the at least one character of the user name of the email address input by the panel, and to display, at the second display section, the one domain name obtained from the plurality of the domain names stored in the memory;

generate the e-mail address, based on the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel, the @ mark input by the panel, and the displayed domain name, when the displayed domain name is selected by the panel; and

transmit an e-mail to a destination, based on the generated e-mail address.

4. The data communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first display section and the second display section are arranged in parallel.

5. A data communication apparatus, comprising:

a first memory configured to store a plurality of e-mail addresses, each of the plurality of the e-mail addresses including a domain name;

a second memory configured to store a plurality of domain names associated with the e-mail addresses;

a panel configured to input at least one character of a user name of an e-mail address and an @ mark, and to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the second memory;

a display configured to display data; and

a controller configured to;

control the display to display the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel;

control the display to display one e-mail address from the plurality of the e-mail addresses stored in the first memory, the one e-mail address including the at least one character input by the panel, when the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail is displayed;

determine whether the @ mark is input by the panel;

clear the one e-mail address displayed on the display, when the @ mark is input by the panel;

determine whether the panel has been operated to select one domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the second memory;

control the display to display a domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the second memory without inputting, by the panel, of a character after the @ mark, when the @ mark is determined to be input by the panel and when it is determined that the panel has been operated to select the domain name from the plurality of the domain names stored in the second memory;

generate the e-mail address, based on the at least one character of the user name of the e-mail address input by the panel, the @ mark input by the panel, and the displayed domain name, when the displayed domain name is selected by the panel; and

transmit an e-mail to a destination, based on the generated e-mail address.

6. The data communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the panel comprises a one-touch key, the one-touch key corresponding to an e-mail address stored in the first memory, and the controller obtains, from the first memory, the e-mail address corresponding to the one-touch key and controls the display to display the corresponding e-mail address, when the one-touch key is selected.

7. The data communication apparatus according to claim 5, the panel further including a speed dial function, wherein in the speed dial function a predetermined combination of characters corresponding to an e-mail address is stored in the first memory, and the controller obtains, from the first memory, the e-mail address corresponding to the predetermined combination of characters and controls the display to display the corresponding e-mail address, when the predetermined combination of characters is selected.