Device, method, and program for transmitting reduced quality images linked to original quality images

• US 7,296,059 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Yoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): MESFIN, YEMANE
• Application Number:
  US10/094,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709205-207, 709/217, 709/219, 709/226, 709/229, 709/232, 709/233, 709/235, 358/1.15, 358/2.26
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0017 Notifying a communication result
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 : of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 : of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3218 : of a confirmation, acknowledgement or receipt
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/325 : Modified version of the image, e.g. part of the image, image reduced in size or resolution, thumbnail or screennail
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping

Abstract

The scanner 10 having a function as a data transmission device generates a reduced image 202 from the original image data obtained by scanning a document, prepares an e-mail 200 that contains the reduced image 202, which is linked to the original image data file stored in a specified storage area, and transmits the e-mail 200 to a specified destination.

Claims

1. A data transmission device for transmitting image data via a network, comprising:

a scanning device to scan a document to obtain image data;

a reduced image generating portion to generate, from the image data obtained by said scanning device, a reduced image that is smaller in storage size and has a smaller display size than said image data when displayed as output image;

a link forming portion to link said reduced image to said image data by providing information indicating a location of said image data;

a character recognition portion to recognize character codes from the image data obtained by said scanning device,

a mail preparing portion to prepare an e-mail that contains said reduced image linked to said image data and a character code data corresponding to character codes recognized from said image data;

a mail transmitting portion to transmit the e-mail to a specified destination and a volume setting portion to set a volume of said reduced image contained in said e-mail according to an equipment type of said destination;

wherein the scanning device comprises a memory to store the image data and the reduced image prior to transmitting the e-mail containing the reduced image.

2. A data transmission device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an external memory device, external from the scanning device, to store the image data obtained by said scanning device,

wherein said reduced image is linked to said image data stored in said external memory device.

3. A data transmission device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a character number setting portion to set a number of characters for character code data contained in said e-mail in accordance with the type of equipment at said destination.

4. A data transmission method for transmitting image data via a network, the method comprising:

obtaining a document containing image data using a scanner comprising a memory;

generating, from the image data, a reduced image that is smaller in storage size and has a smaller display size than said image data when displayed as output image;

recognizing character codes from the image data obtained by said scanning device;

generating character code data corresponding to character codes recognized from said image data;

storing the image data and the reduced image in the memory;

linking said reduced image to said image data by providing information indicating a location of said image data;

preparing an e-mail that contains said reduced image linked to said image data and the character code data corresponding to character codes recognized from said image data;

setting a volume of said reduced image contained in said e-mail according to an equipment type of a specified destination and

transmitting the e-mail to said specified destination,

wherein the image data and the reduced image are stored in the memory before the preparing of the e-mail.

5. A computer readable recording medium to store a data transmission program for transmitting image data via a network, said data transmission program causing a computer to execute a process comprising:

obtaining a document containing image data using a scanner comprising a memory;

generating, from the image data, a reduced image that is smaller in storage size and has a smaller display size than said image data when displayed as output image;

recognizing character codes from the image data obtained by said scanning device;

generating character code data corresponding to character codes recognized from said image data;

storing the image data and the reduced image in the memory;

linking said reduced image to said image data by providing information indicating a location of said image data;

preparing an e-mail that contains said reduced image linked to said image data and the character code data corresponding to character codes recognized from said image data;

setting a volume of said reduced image contained in said e-mail according to an equipment type of a specified destination and

transmitting the e-mail to said specified destination

wherein the image data and the reduced image are stored in the memory before the preparing of the e-mail.