Remote e-mail printing

• US 8,027,049 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Koji, Higashizaki, Yohichiroh
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Thierry L
• Application Number:
  US10/309,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20030107762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,219 Days
• Field of Search: 358/402, 358/403, 358/1.1, 358/1.9, 358 111- 118, 709/206, 709/245
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00233 details of image data reproduction, e.g. network printing or remote image display using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer H04N1/00238; digital output from computer to printer unit G06F3/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00238 using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer output via network, e.g. network printing H04N1/00233
• 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 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00339 with an electronic or magnetic storage medium I/O device RFID or the like H04N1/00342
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• 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 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 1/32539 Detecting or indicating the status of the output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3218 : of a confirmation, acknowledgement or receipt
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

An information providing server has information on plural printers. The information providing server provides a user of a portable terminal with the information on the plural printers by sending the information on the plural printers to the portable terminal. The portable terminal sends an e-mail to which a file to be printed is attached to a printer selected by the user. Each of the plural printers has a plurality of print conditions to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned. The printer that has received an e-mail specifies a print condition from an e-mail address indicating the destination of the e-mail. The printer then prints the file attached to the received e-mail under the specified print condition.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit which receives an e-mail sent from an external terminal;

a print mode memory unit which stores a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned;

a mode specifying unit which specifies a print mode to which an e-mail address indicating a destination of said e-mail received by said receiving unit is assigned in memory contents of said print mode memory unit;

a data generating unit which generates print data for printing a file attached to said e-mail received by said receiving unit; and

a printing unit which prints said file by using said print data generated by said data generating unit under said print mode specified by said mode specifying unit.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing apparatus further includes an application program memory unit which stores a plurality of application programs for generating said print data, and

said data generating unit specifies an application program corresponding to a type of said file and generates said print data using said specified application program.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing apparatus further includes:

a charge calculating unit which acquires a charge for printing said file; and

a charge indicating unit which indicates said charge acquired by said charge calculating unit to a sender of said e-mail.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said charge indicating unit indicates said charge to said sender by sending an e-mail indicating said charge.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing unit starts printing in response to a print execution instruction from a sender of said e-mail.

6. The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said print execution instruction is supplied to said printing unit by an e-mail.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing apparatus further includes:

a number issuing unit which issues a receipt number to a sender of said e-mail, and

a number input unit through which said sender inputs said receipt number; and

said printing unit starts printing in response to said sender'"'"'s inputting said receipt number by operating said number input unit.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said printing apparatus further includes an amount discriminating unit which has a money slot to place money and discriminates an amount of money deposited, and

said printing unit starts printing when said amount of money discriminated by said amount discriminating unit becomes equal to or greater than said charge acquired by said charge calculating unit.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said print mode memory unit stores a one-side print mode and a double-side print mode as a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, and

said printing unit prints said file in one-side printing in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the one-side print mode and prints said file in double-side printing in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the double-side print mode.

14. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said print mode memory unit stores a monochromatic print mode and a color print mode as a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, and

said printing unit prints said file in monochrome in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the monochromatic print mode and prints said file in color in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the color print mode.

9. A printing method comprising:

a mail sending step of allowing a terminal device operated by a user to send to a printing apparatus, which stores a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, an e-mail to which a file to be printed is attached;

a receiving step of allowing said printing apparatus to receive said e-mail sent from said terminal device;

a mode specifying step of allowing said printing apparatus to specify a print mode to which an e-mail address indicating a destination of said received e-mail is assigned in print modes stored in said printing apparatus;

a data generating step of allowing said printing apparatus to generate print data for printing a file attached to said received e-mail; and

a printing step of allowing said print apparatus to print said file by using said print data generated in said data generating step under said print mode specified in said mode specifying step.

12. The printing method according to claim 9, wherein said printing apparatus stores a one-side print mode and a double-side print mode as a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, and

in said printing step, said file is printed in one-side printing in a case where the one-side print mode is specified in said mode specifying step and said file is printed in double-side printing in a case where the double-side print mode is specified in said mode specifying step.

15. The printing method according to claim 9, wherein said printing apparatus stores a monochromatic print mode and a color print mode as a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, and

in said printing step, said file is printed in monochrome in a case where the monochromatic print mode is specified in said mode specifying step and said file is printed in color in a case where the color print mode is specified in said mode specifying step.

10. A computer-readable medium storing a program for allowing a computer connectable to a printer to serve as a printing apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit which receives an e-mail to be sent from an external terminal;

a memory unit which stores a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned;

a mode specifying unit which specifies a print mode to which an e-mail address indicating a destination of said e-mail received by said receiving unit is assigned in memory contents of said memory unit; and

a printing unit which controls said printer to print a file attached to said e-mail received by said receiving unit under said print mode specified by said mode specifying unit.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein said memory unit stores a one-side print mode and a double-side print mode as a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, and

said printing unit controls said printer to print said file in one-side printing in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the one-side print mode and controls said printer to print said file in double-side printing in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the double-side print mode.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein said memory unit stores a monochromatic print mode and a color print mode as a plurality of print modes to which different e-mail addresses are respectively assigned, and

said printing unit controls said printer to print said file in monochrome in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the monochromatic print mode and controls said printer to print said file in color in a case where said mode specifying unit specifies the color print mode.