Data transmission apparatus, control method therefor, and image input/output apparatus

• US 8,726,401 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hikichi, Yukiyoshi, Uchikawa, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso, Techane
• Application Number:
  US13/444,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20120198561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 726/26, 709/206
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00474 outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0048 Indicating an illegal or impossible operation or selection to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32085 Automation of other tasks, e.g. repetitive execution or sequencing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function

Abstract

According to the present invention, a data transmission apparatus capable of transmitting data by using a plurality of transmission media, comprises an authority storage unit, adapted to store authority information representing use authority to use each transmission medium by each user; and a transmission control unit, adapted to, in transmitting data, restrict data transmission to a destination corresponding to a transmission medium for which a current user does not have the use authority.

Claims

1. A data transmission apparatus that uses a plurality of types of transmission media, which transmits data using at least one of the plurality of types of transmission media, the apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to function as;

a destination storage unit configured to store a group destination including a plurality of individual destinations and respective types of transmission media associated with the individual destinations, wherein the group destination is defined to handle the plurality of individual destinations as one destination; and

a transmission controller that identifies a restricted type of transmission medium for which a current user does not have use authority, by referring to an authority storage unit that stores authority information representing each of a plurality of users'"'"' use authorities to use one of the plurality of types of transmission media for transmitting data, and that restricts transmission of data to a group destination including an individual destination to which the restricted type of transmission medium is associated,

wherein the transmission controller notifies the user by a selected one of a plurality of notification methods that data transmission using the group destination is restricted, the group destination including an individual destination to which the restricted type of transmission medium is associated, and

wherein the plurality of types of transmission media includes at least one of;

email, facsimile (FAX), file transfer protocol (FTP), and server message block (SMB).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the current user inputs an instruction to display a list of destinations stored in the destination storage unit, the transmission controller displays, as one of the plurality of notification methods, a list of group destinations so as to inhibit the current user from selecting, from the group destinations stored in the destination storage unit, a group destination containing at least one destination associated with the restricted type of transmission medium, and transmits data to a group destination selected from the group destinations displayed in the list.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmission controller displays, as one of the plurality of notification methods, the list of group destinations from which a group destination containing at least one destination associated with the restricted type of transmission medium is excluded.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmission controller displays, as one of the plurality of notification methods, in a selection-inhibited form, a group destination containing at least one destination associated with the restricted type of transmission medium.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transmission controller outputs, as one of the plurality of notification methods, a warning when an attempt is made to select a group destination containing at least one destination associated with the restricted type of transmission medium.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when a group destination contains at least one destination associated with the restricted type of transmission medium, the transmission controller displays, as one of the plurality of notification methods, a list of destinations so as to inhibit the current user from selecting the group destination, and transmits data to a destination selected from the destinations displayed in the list.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission controller outputs, as one of the plurality of notification methods, a message that transmission is restricted, without transmitting data to a group destination that contains at least one destination associated with the restricted type of transmission medium.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to function as a reader that reads an original image as image data, wherein the image data read by the reader can be transmitted by the plurality of types of transmission media.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to function as:

an address book maintenance unit that maintains the group destination stored in the destination storage unit; and

a user management unit that maintains the authority information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is incorporated in an image input and/or output apparatus that includes an image forming unit that outputs image data as an image onto a print medium.

11. A method of controlling a data transmission apparatus that uses a plurality of types of transmission media and that transmits data using at least one of the plurality of types of transmission media, the method comprising:

storing, in a destination storage unit, a group destination including a plurality of individual destinations and respective types of transmission media associated with the individual destinations, wherein the group destination is defined to handle the plurality of individual destinations as one destination;

identifying a restricted type of transmission medium for which a current user does not have use authority, by referring to an authority storage unit that stores authority information representing each of a plurality of users'"'"' use authorities to use one of the plurality of types of transmission media for transmitting data;

restricting transmission of data to a group destination including an individual destination to which the restricted type of transmission medium is associated; and

notifying the user by a selected one of a plurality of notification methods that data transmission using the group destination is restricted, the group destination including an individual destination to which the restricted type of transmission medium is associated,

wherein the plurality of types of transmission media includes at least one of;

email, facsimile (FAX), file transfer protocol (FTP), and server message block (SMB).

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program that, when executed by a computer causes the computer to control a data transmission apparatus that uses a plurality of types of transmission media and that transmits data using at least one of the plurality of types of transmission media, the program comprising:

code for accessing, from a destination storage unit, a group destination including a plurality of individual destinations and respective types of transmission media associated with the individual destinations, wherein the group destination is defined to handle the plurality of individual destinations as one destination; and

code for identifying a restricted type of transmission medium for which a current user does not have use authority, by referring to an authority storage unit that stores authority information representing each of a plurality of users'"'"' use authorities to use one of the plurality of types of transmission media for transmitting data;

code for restricting transmission of data to a group destination including an individual destination to which the restricted type of transmission medium is associated; and

code for notifying the user by a selected one of a plurality of notification methods that data transmission using the group destination is restricted, the group destination including an individual destination to which the restricted type of transmission medium is associated,

wherein the plurality of types of transmission media includes at least one of;

email, facsimile (FAX), file transfer protocol (FTP), and server message block (SMB).