Data converter, data conversion method, program for making computer function as data converter and recording medium for storing this program

• US 7,535,477 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tsumori, Osamu, Ono, Shuichiro, Zaima, Hiroaki, Ueda, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): GOOD JOHNSON, MONTILEWA
• Application Number:
  US10/582,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20070097394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 709/246
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A data converter for converting a file having layout information to a file which does not depend on the process properties of an information apparatus is provided. The process which is executed by the control part in the data converter includes the step of determining the attributes of the apparatus to which mail is transmitted if a file is attached to received mail, the step of executing a conversion process if data conversion is necessary, the step of generating a message that mail is incoming which includes information on the location where the file that has been generated through the conversion process is stored, the step of transmitting the message that mail is incoming to the recipient'"'"'s apparatus, the step of storing the file without converting data if data conversion is unnecessary, and the step of transmitting the received mail to the recipient'"'"'s apparatus.

Claims

1. A data converter comprising:

a reception portion receiving electronic mail;

a conversion portion converting data included in a file attached to said electronic mail, said conversion portion including a first conversion portion converting said data included in said file attached to said electronic mail into data represented in a first predetermined data format, and a second conversion portion converting said data included in said file attached to said electronic mail into data represented in a second predetermined data format;

a memory portion storing said data generated through conversion and represented in said first data format and said data generated through conversion and represented in said second data format; and

a transmission portion transmitting said data output from said first and second conversion portions,

wherein said data represented in said first data format includes data representing a list of either said converted file or said data generated through conversion,

said data represented in said second data format is an image generated by conversion of said file, and

said memory portion stores said list and said image in association with each other.

2. A portable communication terminal transmitting and receiving data to and from the data converter recited in claim 1, comprising:

a first display portion receiving said data represented in said first data format to display said list of said file;

a select portion selecting at least one file from said list of said displayed file;

a notification portion notifying said data converter of said file selected by said select portion; and

a second display portion receiving said data represented in said second data format that corresponds to said file that said notification portion notifies said data converter of to display an image.

3. The portable communication terminal according to claim 2, said second data format being a vector image format, the portable communication terminal further comprising a designation portion designating a scaling factor applied to display said image based on said data represented in said second data format, wherein said second display portion scales said image based on said scaling factor designated by said designation portion and displays said scaled image.

4. The data converter according to claim 1, further wherein the list of said converted file or said data generated through conversion is a list of converted portions of the file attached to said electronic mail, and wherein the image generated by conversion of said file is comprised of a plurality of images each corresponding to a respective portion of the file.

5. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein

said first data format is a raster format, and

said first conversion portion generates an image in the raster format from the data contained in the attached file by changing the compression ratio so as to satisfy a prescribed condition.

6. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein

said first data format is a vector format, and

said first conversion portion generates an image in the vector format from the data contained in the attached file by changing the compression ratio so as to satisfy a prescribed condition.

7. The data converter according to claim 1, wherein

said first data format is a raster format,

said second data format is a vector format,

said first conversion portion generates an image in the raster format from the data contained in the attached file, and

said second conversion portion generates an image in the vector format from the data contained in the attached file.

8. A method for a portable communication terminal receiving, from a data converter, each file converted in first and second data formats, said data converter including a function receiving electronic mail, a function converting data included in said electronic mail into said first and second data formats, and a function transmitting said converted data, the method comprising:

receiving at the portable communication terminal, from said data converter, at least one of files in said first and second data formats;

selecting at least one of files received by said reception portion; and

notifying said data converter of which file has been selected,

wherein said one of said files in said first and second data formats is data for reducing and displaying unconverted data, wherein said data for reducing and displaying unconverted data is raster data, and wherein data received after said data converter is notified of which file has been selected is vector data.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising requesting said data converter to transmit data for reducing and displaying unconverted data.

10. A portable communication terminal receiving, from a data converter, each file converted in first and second data formats, said data converter including a function receiving electronic mail, a function converting data included in said electronic mail into said first and second data formats, and a function transmitting said converted data, the portable communication terminal comprising:

a reception portion receiving, from said data converter, at least one of data in said first data format and said file in said second data format;

a select portion selecting at least one of files received by said reception portion; and

a notification portion notifying said data converter of which file has been selected,

wherein said one of said files in said first and second data formats is data for reducing and displaying unconverted data, wherein said data for reducing and displaying unconverted data is raster data, and wherein data received after said data converter is notified of which file has been selected is vector data.

11. The portable communication terminal according to claim 10, further comprising a request portion requesting said data converter to transmit data for reducing and displaying unconverted data.

12. A computer readable recording medium storing a program for causing a server device receiving electronic mail to function as a data converter, said server device including a memory portion storing data, the computer readable recording medium causing said server device to perform the steps of:

converting data included in a file attached to said electronic mail, wherein the step of converting data includes the steps of converting said data included in said file into data represented in a first predetermined data format, and converting said data included in said file into data represented in a second predetermined data format;

storing to said memory portion said data represented in said first and said second data formats that are generated as said data are converted; and

transmitting said data represented in said first and said second data formats that are generated by conversion of said data,

wherein said data represented in said first data format includes data representing a list of said converted file or said data generated through conversion,

said data represented in said second data format is an image generated by conversion of said file, and

the step of storing stores to said memory portion said data representing said list and said image in association with each other.

13. A computer readable recording medium storing a program causing a portable communication terminal to function as a display device, said portable communication terminal being capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from a server device for which the computer readable recording medium as recited in claim 12 is executed, the computer readable recording medium causing said portable communication terminal to perform the steps of:

receiving, from said server device, data represented in said first data format;

displaying a list of said file based on received data;

selecting at least one file from said displayed list;

receiving, from said server device, data represented in said second data format;

downloading, from said server device, data represented in said second data format that corresponds to said selected file; and

displaying an image corresponding to said file based on said downloaded data.

14. The computer readable recording medium according to claim 12, further wherein the list of said converted file or said data generated through conversion is a list of converted portions of the file attached to said electronic mail, and wherein the image generated by conversion of said file is comprised of a plurality of images each corresponding to a respective portion of the file.