Communication apparatus, electronic mail transmitting method, and electronic mail transmitting program

• US 8,621,579 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tonegawa, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, LUU T
• Application Number:
  US13/109,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A communication apparatus enhances security in transmitting electronic mail to a destination mail address without degrading operability. An MFP is connected to an authentication server and a mail server via a network. A user name and a password are entered in a user name entry screen. The MFP requests the authentication server to authenticate the entered user name and password. When the user name and the password are authenticated, the MFP is operable to acquire an e-mail address, a SMTP authentication user name, and a SMTP authentication password according to SMTP associated with the authenticated user name and password from the authentication server. The MFP requests the mail server to authenticate the acquired SMTP authentication user name and SMTP authentication password according to SMTP. When the SMTP authentication user name and the SMTP authentication password are authenticated, the MFP is operable to transmit an e-mail to the mail server.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus that transmits an email with an email distributing apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable memory configured to store computer-executable codes; and

a processor configured to execute the computer-executable codes stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory to execute;

an authentication task that authenticates a user;

an acquiring task that acquires authentication information that has been stored in association with the authenticated user, in a case where the authentication by the authentication task succeeds;

a performing task that performs a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMPT) authentication with the email distributing apparatus using the authentication information acquired by the acquiring task, when transmitting the email;

a transmission task that transmits the email in which an email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field, with the email distributing apparatus, when the SMTP authentication performed by the performing task succeeds; and

a determining task that determines whether a transmission mode is a first transmission mode or a second transmission mode,

wherein the authentication information acquired by the acquiring task varies with a plurality of users, while the email address of the communication apparatus is common for the plurality of users,

wherein the transmission task transmits the email in which the email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field if the determining task determines that the transmission mode is the first transmission mode, and

wherein the transmission task transmits the email in which the email address of the authenticated user is set to a FROM field if the determining task determines that the transmission mode is the second transmission mode.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication task authenticates the user using an authentication apparatus that is connected to the communication apparatus via a network.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the acquiring task acquires the authentication information from the authentication apparatus.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication information includes a username and a password.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the authentication information includes a username and a password.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the email address of the authenticated user is acquired from an authentication apparatus that is connected to the communication apparatus via a network.

7. A method of controlling a communication apparatus that transmits an email with an email distributing apparatus, the method comprising:

an authentication step of authenticating a user;

an acquiring step of acquiring authentication information that has been stored in association with the authenticated user, in a case where the authentication in the authentication step succeeds;

a performing step of performing a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) authentication with the email distributing apparatus using the authentication information acquired in the acquiring step, when transmitting the email;

a transmission step of transmitting the email in which an email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field, with the email distributing apparatus, when the SMTP authentication performed in the performing step succeeds; and

a determining step of determining whether a transmission mode is a first transmission mode or a second transmission mode,

wherein the authentication information acquired in the acquiring step varies with a plurality of users, while the email address of the communication apparatus is common for the plurality of users,

wherein the transmission step transmits the email in which the email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field if the determining step determines that the transmission mode is the first transmission mode, and

wherein the transmission step transmits the email in which the email address of the authenticated user is set to a FROM field if the determining step determines that the transmission mode is the second transmission mode.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program executable by a computer to perform a method of controlling a communication apparatus that transmits an email with an email distributing apparatus, the method comprising:

an authentication step of authenticating a user;

an acquiring step of acquiring authentication information that has been stored in association with the authenticated user, in a case where the authentication in the authentication step succeeds;

a performing step of performing a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) authentication with the email distributing apparatus using the authentication information acquired in the acquiring step, when transmitting the email;

a transmission step of transmitting the email in which an email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field, with the email distributing apparatus, when the SMTP authentication performed in the performing step succeeds; and

a determining step of determining whether a transmission mode is a first transmission mode or a second transmission mode,

wherein the authentication information acquired in the acquiring step varies with a plurality of users, while the email address of the communication apparatus is common for the plurality of users,

wherein the transmission step transmits the email in which the email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field if the determining step determines that the transmission mode is the first transmission mode, and

wherein the transmission step transmits the email in which the email address of the authenticated user is set to a FROM field if the determining step determines that the transmission mode is the second transmission mode.

9. A communication apparatus that transmits an email with an email distributing apparatus, the communication apparatus comprising:

an authentication unit configured to authenticate a user;

an acquiring unit configured to acquire authentication information that has been stored in association with the authenticated user, in a case where the authentication by the authentication unit succeeds;

a performing unit configured to perform a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMPT) authentication with the email distributing apparatus using the authentication information acquired by the acquiring unit, when transmitting the email;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the email in which an email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field, with the email distributing apparatus, when the SMTP authentication performed by the performing unit succeeds

a determining unit that determines whether a transmission mode is a first transmission mode or a second transmission mode,

wherein the authentication information acquired by the acquiring unit varies with a plurality of users, while the email address of the communication apparatus is common for the plurality of users,

wherein the transmission unit transmits the email in which the email address of the communication apparatus is set to a FROM field if the determining unit determines that the transmission mode is the first transmission mode,

wherein the transmission unit transmits the email in which the email address of the authenticated user is set to a FROM field if the determining unit determines that the transmission mode is the second transmission mode, and

wherein the authentication, acquiring, performing, transmission, and determining units are implemented by a processor, at least in part, by executing computer-executable codes stored in a non-transitory computer-readable memory.