Confidential communications executing multifunctional product

• US 8,122,054 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Kasatani, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US12/048,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 707781-796, 348/231.99, 348/231.1, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 358400-410
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/17 Web printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0096 Simultaneous or quasi-simultaneous functioning of a plurality of operations H04N1/32545 takes precedence; multiprogramming arrangements of computers G06F9/46
• 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 1/32502 in systems having a plurality of input or output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32512 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32529 of different type, e.g. internal and external devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images

Abstract

A multifunctional product connected with a plurality of terminals over a network includes an image information obtaining device that obtains image information, a document file storing device that stores the image information in a prescribed location as a document file, and a designating device that designates a prescribed terminal to receive the document file. A file transmission device is provided to transmit the document file to the prescribed terminal simultaneously when the document file storing device stores the image information in the document file.

Claims

1. An image data processing system configured to communicate with an external apparatus through a network, the system comprising:

an image data storage unit that stores image data from a document reader, or image data received through the network;

a destination information registration unit that registers information regarding a destination external apparatus to which the image data stored in the storage unit is to be transmitted;

an operation unit that receives an instruction indicating the image data stored in the storage unit, the destination external apparatus to which the image data is to be transmitted, and information indicating whether to transmit the image data as an attachment file of email data or to transmit email data including link information indicating a link to the image data; and

a data transmission unit that sends the image data as the attachment file of email data when the operation unit receives the instruction to transmit the image data as the attachment file of email data, and that sends email data including link information indicating a link to the image data when the operation unit receives the instruction to transmit the email data including link information indicating a link to the image data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the link information indicating a link to the image data is included in a body section of the email data, and the link information includes a character string that uniquely specifies a type of server that is incorporated in the image data processing system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the link information indicating a link to the image data is accessed by client software that corresponds to the type of server that is incorporated in the image data processing system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the link information indicating a link to the image data is an URI that specifies a location in the image data storage unit where the image data is stored.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the image data is provided with an attribution, and wherein the data transmission unit selects to send the image data when the attribution of the image data indicates disclosure of the image data.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the attribution is associated with the image data when the image data is created.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image data is provided with an attribution, and wherein the data transmission unit requests authorization information when the attribution of the image data indicates non-disclosure of the image data without the authorization information.

8. An image data processing system configured to communicate with an external apparatus through a network, the system comprising:

image data storage means for storing image data obtained from a document reader, or image data received through the network;

destination information registration means for registering information regarding a destination to which the image data stored in the storage unit is to be transmitted;

operation means for receiving an instruction regarding the image data stored in the storage means, a destination to which the image data is to be transmitted, and information indicating whether to transmit the image data as an attachment file of email data or to transmit email data including link information indicating a link to the image data;

data transmission means for sending the image data as an attachment file of email data when the operation means receives the instruction to transmit the image data as an attachment file of email data, and for sending email data including link information indicating a link to the image data when the operation means receives the instruction to transmit the email data including link information indicating a link to the image data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the link information indicating a link to the image data is included in a body section of the email data, and the link information includes a character string that uniquely specifies a type of server that is incorporated in the image data processing system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the link information indicating a link to the image data is accessed by client software that corresponds to the type of server that is incorporated in the image data processing system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the link information indicating a link to the image data is an URI that specifies a location in the storage means where the image data is stored.

12. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the image data is provided with an attribution, and wherein the data transmission means selects to send the image data when the attribution of the image data indicates disclosure of the image data.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the attribution is associated with the image data when the image data is created.

14. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the image data is provided with an attribution, and wherein the data transmission means requests authorization information when the attribution of the image data indicates non-disclosure of the image data without the authorization information.