Data communication system

• US 7,903,293 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2005
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ejiri, Seishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour; Houshang
• Application Number:
  US11/151,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 358/434, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/400, 358/402, 358/403, 358/405, 358/436, 358/437, 358/440, 358/444, 358/468, 358/442
• US Class Current: 358/434
• 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

Abstract

In a system in which a facsimile apparatus is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network) to which a plurality of computer terminals are connected, image data obtained by reading an original image by the scanner of the facsimile apparatus under the control of the operation unit of the facsimile apparatus is transmitted to a destination designated by the operation unit. In this operation, if a user ID is designated, transmitted image data and information (destination, transmission time/date, or the like) related to transmission is transferred to the LAN to notify the information to a user corresponding to the user ID. In this manner, data communication performed by a local operation of the facsimile apparatus and data communication performed by a remote designation from the computer terminal can be managed together.

Claims

1. A data communication apparatus comprising:

an input unit configured to input image data;

a designating unit configured to designate a destination;

an obtaining unit configured to obtain an indication for specifying a user who manipulates said data communication apparatus; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit the image data input by said input unit to the destination designated by said designating unit, and to transmit the image data transmitted to the designated destination, a transmission log of a transmission of the image data to the designated destination, and the indication obtained by said obtaining unit to a predetermined destination different from the destination designated by said designating unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reader configured to read an image on a document and to generate image data representing the image, wherein said input unit inputs the image data generated by said reader.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining unit obtains the indication input via a console equipped with said data communication apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first network interface and a second network interface, wherein said transmitting unit transmits the image data input by said input unit to the destination designated by said designating unit via said first network interface and to a destination specified by an indication obtained by said obtaining unit via said second network interface.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transmitting unit transmits the image data input by said input unit to the destination designated by said designating unit via said first network interface, and then transmits, to the destination specified by the indication obtained by said obtaining unit via said second network interface, the image data transmitted to the designated destination and a transmission log of the transmitted image data via said first network interface.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first network interface is a telephone network, and said transmitting unit transmits the image data input by said input unit by a facsimile communication to the destination designated by said designating unit via the telephone network.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the transmission log contains the destination designated by said designating unit and a transmission date when said transmitting unit transmits the image data to the destination designated by said designating unit.

8. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first receiving unit configured to receive a first transmission of image data instruction via a console equipped with said image processing apparatus,

wherein the transmitting unit transmits the image data input by said input unit to the destination designated by said designating unit in accordance with the first transmission of image data instruction received by said first receiving unit.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second receiving unit configured to receive a second transmission of image data instruction via a network from an external information processing apparatus.

10. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a reader configured to read an image on a document and to generate image data representing the image;

a processor configured to perform a job corresponding to the image data from said reader;

an obtaining unit configured to obtain an indication for specifying an operator who instructs said image processing apparatus to perform the job;

a network interface configured to connect said image processing apparatus to a network, and

a control unit configured to output the image data corresponding to the job performed by said processor, and to transfer the output image data corresponding to the job performed by said processor, log information of the job and the indication obtained by said obtaining unit to a server on the network via said network interface.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the log information includes a date when the job is performed by said processor.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control unit transfers the image data from said reader to a destination designated by the operator as a transmission job and transfers the image data transferred to the designated destination, the log information including the destination designated by the operator and a transferring date when said transfer unit transfers the image data to the destination designated by the operator.

13. A data communication method comprising:

inputting image data;

designating a destination;

obtaining an indication for specifying a user who manipulates a data communication apparatus;

transmitting from the data communication apparatus the image data to the designated destination; and

transmitting from the data communication apparatus the image data, a transmission log of a transmission of the image data to the designated destination, and the obtained indication to a predetermined destination different from the designated destination.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable program code for performing a data communication method, the method comprising:

inputting image data;

designating a destination;

obtaining an indication for specifying a user who manipulates a data communication apparatus;

transmitting from the data communication apparatus the image data to the designated destination; and

transmitting from the data communication apparatus the image data transmitted to the designated destination, a transmission log of a transmission of the input image data to the designated destination, and the obtained indication to a predetermined destination different from the designated destination.

15. An image processing method comprising:

reading an image on a document and generating image data representing the image;

performing a job corresponding to the generated image data by an image processing apparatus;

obtaining an indication for specifying an operator who instructs the image processing apparatus to perform the job;

outputting the image data corresponding to the performed job; and

transferring the output image data corresponding to the performed job, log information of the performed job, and the obtained indication to a server via a network by the image processing apparatus.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for performing an image processing method, the method comprising:

reading an image on a document and generating image data representing the read image;

performing a job corresponding to the generated image data by an image processing apparatus;

obtaining an indication for specifying an operator who instructs the image processing apparatus to perform the job;

outputting the image data corresponding to the performed job; and

transferring the output image data corresponding to the performed job, log information of the performed job, and the obtained indication to a server via a network by the image processing apparatus.