Apparatus, portable terminal unit, and system for controlling E-mail, and its method, computer-readable recording medium and program product for processing E-mail

• US 8,150,921 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Katsuda, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US09/880,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,946 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/06 Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

The E-mail server of the invention receives E-mail addressed to a portable terminal unit, and transmits receipt notice E-mail prepared by removing the attachment file portion of the received E-mail to the portable terminal unit. On the other hand, the E-mail server acquires the location information of the portable terminal unit. The E-mail server selects a device among multiple printers and facsimile devices according to the acquired location information. The E-mail server transmits the data corresponding to the attachment file portion to the selected device.

Claims

1. An E-mail controlling apparatus comprising:

an E-mail receiving device receiving E-mail including a main text portion and an attachment file portion and being addressed to a portable terminal unit;

an E-mail preparing device preparing receipt notice E-mail by removing the attachment file portion from the received E-mail;

an E-mail transmitting device transmitting to said portable terminal unit the receipt notice E-mail prepared by said E-mail preparing device and an E-mail identifying multiple prospective image output devices;

an instruction receiving device receiving an E-mail including an instruction for specifying one of multiple image output devices;

a converting device converting the attachment file portion into data of a format acceptable to the image output device; and

a data transmitting device transmitting said data after the conversion to the image output device specified by said instruction.

2. An E-mail controlling system comprising:

an E-mail receiving device receiving E-mail addressed to a portable terminal unit;

an E-mail preparing device preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the E-mail received by said E-mail receiving device;

an E-mail transmitting device transmitting the receipt notice E-mail prepared by said E-mail preparing device to said portable terminal unit;

a location information acquiring device acquiring location information of said portable terminal unit;

a selecting device selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the location information of said portable terminal unit acquired by said location information acquiring device;

a notifying device that sends an E-mail to said portable terminal unit containing a notification of the image output device selected by said selecting device; and

a data transmitting device transmitting at least a portion of the data of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device to the image output device selected by the selecting device.

3. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said E-mail preparing device prepares the receipt notice E-mail based on the content of a main text portion of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device.

4. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said E-mail preparing device prepares the receipt notice E-mail by removing an attachment file portion of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device.

5. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 4 wherein said data transmitting device transmits data corresponding to the attachment file portion of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device.

6. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 5 further comprising a converting device converting the attachment file portion of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device into data of a format acceptable to the image output device;

wherein,

said data transmitting device transmits the data after the conversion by said converting device.

7. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said data transmitting device transmits data corresponding to an attachment file portion of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device.

8. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said data transmitting device transmits the data corresponding to the entire portion of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device.

9. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said selecting device selects image output devices within a certain distance from said portable terminal unit.

10. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said selecting device selects an image output device closest to said portable terminal unit.

11. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said selecting device includes:

a memory device storing location information of multiple image output devices; and

a search device searching image output devices suitable for the location information acquired by said location information acquiring device from multiple image output devices whose location information is stored in said memory device.

12. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said selecting device includes:

a list preparing device preparing a list of image output devices within a certain distance from said portable terminal unit;

a list transmitting device transmitting the list prepared by said list preparing device to said portable terminal unit; and

a selection instruction receiving device receiving an instruction specifying one of the image output devices in the list.

13. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said data transmitting device transmits the data to an image output device specified by an IP address.

14. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said data transmitting device transmits the data to an image output device specified by a telephone number.

15. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein communication between said E-mail transmitting device and said portable terminal unit is conducted indirectly via another E-mail controlling system.

16. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said data transmitting device transmits at least a portion of the data of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device to a display selected by the selecting device.

17. The E-mail controlling system according to claim 2 wherein said data transmitting device transmits at least a portion of the data of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device to a printer.

19. The e-mail controlling system of claim 2, wherein said selecting device automatically selects one of said multiple image devices on the basis of the location information of said portable terminal unit acquired by said location information acquiring device.

18. An E-mail controlling system comprising:

an E-mail receiving device receiving E-mail including a main text portion and an attachment file portion and being addressed to a portable terminal unit;

an E-mail preparing device preparing receipt notice E-mail by removing the attachment file portion from the received E-mail;

an E-mail transmitting device transmitting to said portable terminal unit the receipt notice E-mail prepared by said E-mail preparing device and an E-mail identifying multiple prospective image output devices;

an instruction receiving device receiving an E-mail including an instruction specifying one of multiple image output devices;

a converting device converting the attachment file portion into data of a format acceptable to the image output device; and

a data transmitting device transmitting said data after the conversion to the image output device specified by said instruction.

20. An E-mail controlling system comprising:

an E-mail controlling apparatus;

a portable terminal unit receiving E-mail from said E-mail controlling apparatus; and

an image output device capable of receiving data from said E-mail controlling apparatus;

said E-mail controlling apparatus including;

an E-mail receiving device receiving E-mail addressed to said portable terminal unit;

an E-mail preparing device preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the E-mail received by said E-mail receiving device;

an E-mail transmitting device transmitting the receipt notice E-mail prepared by said E-mail preparing device to said portable terminal unit;

a location information acquiring device acquiring location information of said portable terminal unit;

a selecting device selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the location information of said portable terminal unit acquired by said position acquiring device;

a notifying device that sends an E-mail to said portable terminal unit containing a notification of the image output device selected by said selecting device; and

a data transmitting device transmitting at least a portion of the data of the E-mail received by the E-mail receiving device to the image output device selected by the selecting device;

said image output device outputting the content of the E-mail based on the data received from said E-mail controlling apparatus.

21. An E-mail processing method comprising the steps of:

receiving E-mail addressed to a certain destination;

preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the received E-mail;

transmitting said receipt notice E-mail to said destination;

acquiring location information of said destination;

selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the location information of said destination acquired;

sending an E-mail to said destination containing a notification of the selected image output device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data of the received E-mail to the selected image output device.

22. An E-mail processing method comprising the steps of:

receiving E-mail addressed to a portable terminal unit;

preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the received E-mail;

transmitting said receipt notice E-mail to said portable terminal unit;

acquiring location information of said portable terminal unit;

selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the acquired location information of said portable terminal unit;

sending an E-mail to said portable terminal unit containing a notification of the selected image output device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data of the received E-mail to the selected image output device.

23. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of sequences of instructions stored thereon including sequences of instructions which are executed by one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving E-mail addressed to a certain destination;

preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the received E-mail;

transmitting said receipt notice E-mail to said destination;

acquiring location information of said destination;

selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the location information of said destination acquired;

sending an E-mail to said destination containing a notification of the selected image output device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data of the received E-mail to the selected image output device.

24. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of sequences of instructions stored thereon including sequences of instructions which are executed by one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving E-mail addressed to a portable terminal unit;

preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the received E-mail ;

transmitting said receipt notice E-mail to said portable terminal unit;

acquiring location information of said portable terminal unit;

selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the acquired location information of said portable terminal unit;

sending an E-mail to said portable terminal unit containing a notification of the selected image output device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data of the received E-mail to the selected image output device.

25. A program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program contained on said computer-readable medium for causing a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of;

receiving E-mail addressed to a certain destination;

preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the received E-mail;

transmitting said receipt notice E-mail to said destination;

acquiring location information of said destination;

selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the location information of said destination acquired;

sending an E-mail to said destination containing a notification of the selected image output device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data of the received E-mail to the selected image output device.

26. A program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program contained on said computer-readable medium for causing a computer to execute a process comprising the steps of;

receiving E-mail addressed to a portable terminal unit;

preparing receipt notice E-mail based on the received E-mail;

transmitting said receipt notice E-mail to said portable terminal unit;

acquiring location information of said portable terminal unit;

selecting one of multiple image output devices on the basis of the acquired location information of said portable terminal unit;

sending an E-mail to said portable terminal unit containing a notification of the selected image output device; and

transmitting at least a portion of the data of the received E-mail to the selected image output device.