Image forming device capable of acquiring data from web server

• US 7,528,973 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kondo, Yoshiyuki, Kokubo, Masatoshi, Aoki, Kazuma, Enomoto, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins; Twyler L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson; Myles D
• Application Number:
  US10/369,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• 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 1/32379 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32496 Changing the task performed, e.g. reading and transmitting, receiving and reproducing, copying facsimile mode changing H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3287 Storage of at least one complete document page or image frame

Abstract

A facsimile device includes an outer case accommodating a circuit controller and a communication module. The communication module has a router function and can be directly connected to a broadband-capable modem, such as an ADSL modem, by a cable. The communication module can perform bi-directional communications with a web server on the Internet via the broadband-capable modem. The communication module also has a web printing function for printing images of data received from a web server on a recording unit. Hence, by connecting a broadband-capable modem to the communication module, the facsimile device can print data from web servers onto paper to facilitate viewing.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

an image forming device, the image forming device including;

an image forming unit that forms images on a recording medium;

a communicating unit that is connectable directly to a broadband-capable modem so as to perform bi-directional communications with a web server that is provided on a wide area network via the broadband-capable modem; and

a data outputting unit that has a web printing function for controlling the image forming unit to form images on the recording medium based on data that the communicating unit receives from the web server;

the broadband-capable modem that is connected to and performs bi-directional communications with the communicating unit of the image forming device, the broadband-capable modem relaying communications between the web server provided on the wide area network and the image forming device; and

a LAN terminal that is connected to and performs bi-directional communications with the communicating unit of the image forming device, the LAN terminal being capable of receiving data that the communicating unit of the image forming device receives from the web server on the local network,

wherein, the data outputting unit of the image forming device further has a printing function for controlling the image forming unit to form images on the recording medium based on data that the communicating unit receives from the LAN terminal on the local area network, and

wherein the data outputting unit of the image forming device gives priority to operating the web printing function over the printing function when an amount of data received from he LAN terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, and gives priority to operating the printing function over the web printing function when the amount of data received from the LAN terminal is less than the predetermined amount.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming device further comprises:

a transferring unit that transfers data that the communicating unit receives from the web server to the LAN terminal on the local area network; and

an output switching unit that selectively controls, based on predetermined conditions, one of the data outputting unit and the transferring unit to operate.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the data outputting unit gives priority to operating the web printing function over the printing function.

4. The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a main case accommodating the image forming unit, the communicating unit, and the data outputting unit.

5. An image forming device comprising:

an image forming unit that forms images on a recording medium;

a communicating unit that is connectable directly to a broadband-capable modem so as to perform bi-directional communications with a web server that is provided on a wide area network via the broadband-capable modem; and

a data outputting unit that has a web printing function for controlling the image forming unit to form images on the recording medium based on data that the communicating unit receives from the web server,

wherein the communicating unit is connectable to a local area network and transmits data received from the web server to a LAN terminal on the local area network,

wherein the data outputting unit further has a printing function for controlling the image forming unit to form images on the recording medium based on data that the communicating unit receives from the LAN terminal on the local area network, and

wherein the data outputting unit gives priority to operating the web printing function over the printing function when an amount of data received from the LAN terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, and gives priority to operating the printing function over the web printing function when the amount of data received from the LAN terminal is less than the predetermined amount.

6. The image forming device according to claim 5, further comprising a main case accommodating the image forming unit, the communicating unit, and the data outputting unit.