Communication apparatus

• US 7,119,918 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): Pokrzywa, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US10/298,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/1.15, 358/402, 358/403, 358/407, 358/434, 358/437, 358/442, 358/443, 358/468, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 379/93.24, 379/100.01, 379/100.08, 379/100.09, 379/100.12, 379/100.13, 379/100.15, 709/238, 709/239, 709/242
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 apparatus comprises an acceptor that accepts an electronic-mail, an electronic-mail transmitter that transmits the accepted electronic-mail to a designated electronic mail destination address, and an operational panel that includes a start member that starts a transmission of an electronic-mail to a destination address. The operational panel designates an electronic mail destination address, and further designates an alternative destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail started by the start member is not completed. The message provides an indication, at the alternative destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.

Claims

1. An electronic-mail apparatus, comprising:

an acceptor that accepts electronic-mail data;

an electronic-mail transmitter that transmits the accepted electronic-mail data to a designated electronic mail destination address, and

an operational panel that includes a start member that starts a transmission of an electronic-mail data to an electronic mail destination address, said operational panel designates an electronic mail destination address, and further designates an alternative electronic mail destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail started by the start member is not completed, the failure message being distinct from the electronic mail data;

wherein the failure message provides an indication, at the alternative electronic mail destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.

2. The electronic-mail apparatus, according to claim 1, the alternative electronic mail destination address, to which the failure message is sent, being different than an address of the electronic-mail apparatus.

3. The electronic-mail apparatus, according to claim 1, said operational panel comprising a source button that allows designation of the alternative electronic mail destination address.

4. The electronic-mail apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the alternative electronic mail destination address is designated by said operational panel before transmission of the electronic-mail by said electronic-mail transmitter.

5. The electronic mail apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the failure message sent to the alternative electronic mail destination address does not include the electronic mail data.

6. An electronic-mail apparatus, comprising:

an acceptor that accepts electronic-mail data;

an electronic-mail transmitter that transmits the accepted electronic-mail data to a destination,

an operational panel that includes a start button and a source button, the start button starts a transmission of an electronic-mail to a destination and the source button designates an alternative electronic mail destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail started by the start button is not completed, the failure message being distinct from the electronic mail data;

wherein the message provides an indication, at the alternative electronic mail destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.

7. The electronic-mail apparatus, according to claim 6, the alternative electronic mail destination address, to which the transmission completion failure message is sent, being different than an address of the electronic-mail apparatus.

8. The electronic mail apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the failure message sent to the alternative electronic mail destination address does not include the electronic mail data.

9. An electronic-mail apparatus, comprising:

an acceptor that accepts electronic-mail data;

an electronic-mail transmitter that transmits the accepted electronic-mail data to a destination,

an operational panel that includes a source button that designates input of an alternative electronic mail destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail is not completed, the failure message being distinct from the electronic mail data;

wherein the message provides an indication, at the alternative electronic mail destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.

10. The electronic-mail apparatus, according to claim 9, the alternative electronic mail destination address, to which the transmission completion failure message is sent, being different than an address of the electronic-mail apparatus.

11. The electronic mail apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the failure message sent to the alternative electronic mail destination address does not include the electronic mail data.

12. A method for transmitting an electronic-mail, using an electronic-mail apparatus which has an operational panel, the operational panel including a start member that starts a transmission of the electronic-mail to a destination address, the method comprising:

accepting electronic-mail data;

designating an electronic mail destination address;

transmitting the accepted electronic-mail to the designated electronic mail destination address, and

designating an alternative electronic mail destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail started by the start member is not completed, the failure message being distinct from the electronic mail data;

wherein the message provides an indication, at the alternative electronic mail destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising designating, as the alternative electronic mail destination address, to which the transmission failure message is sent, an address that is different than an address of the electronic-mail apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising providing, on the operational panel, a source button that allows designation of the alternative electronic mail destination address.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising designating the alternative electronic mail destination address by the operational panel when the electronic-mail is transmitted.

16. The electronic mail apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the failure message sent to the alternative electronic mail destination address does not include the electronic mail data.

17. A method for transmitting an electronic-mail, using an electronic-mail apparatus which has an operational panel, the operational panel including a start member that starts a transmission of the electronic-mail to an electronic mail destination address, and a source button, the method comprising:

accepting electronic-mail data

designating an electronic mail destination address;

designating an alternative electronic mail destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail is not completed, the failure message being distinct from the electronic mail data;

utilizing the source button to designate input of the alternative electronic mail destination address;

transmitting the accepted electronic-mail to the designated electronic mail destination address,

wherein the message provides an indication, at the alternative electronic mail destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising designating, as the alternative electronic mail destination address, to which the transmission completion failure message is sent, an address that is different than an address of the electronic-mail apparatus.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising designating, as the alternative electronic mail destination address, to which the transmission completion failure message is sent, an address that is different than an address of the electronic-mail apparatus.

19. A method for transmitting an electronic-mail, using an electronic-mail apparatus including a source button, the method comprising:

accepting electronic-mail data;

designating an electronic mail destination address;

designating an alternative electronic mail destination address, to be used in case of a transmission completion failure, to which a message indicating a failure in completion of a started transmission of an electronic-mail is sent when the transmission of an electronic-mail is not completed, the failure message being distinct from the electronic mail data;

utilizing the source button to designate input of the alternative electronic mail destination address; and

transmitting the accepted electronic-mail to the designated electronic mail destination address,

wherein the message provides an indication, at the alternative electronic mail destination address, of a transmission completion failure during transmission of an electronic-mail.