Data communication apparatus and method

• US 7,177,936 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2000
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ejiri, Seishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANIWANG, JOSEPH R
• Application Number:
  US09/694,344
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709/246, 370/260, 370/270, 358/402, 358/425, 358/1.13, 358/101
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4612 LAN interconnection over narrowband networks, e.g. N-ISDN, PSTN, X.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• 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 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3218 of a confirmation, acknowledgement or receipt

Abstract

The present invention provides a data processing apparatus which performs a data process via a LAN and a communication line other than the LAN comprises reception means for receiving data from a transmission side via the communication line notification means for notifying that the reception means received the data, to a plurality of receivers on the LAN transmission means for transmitting information representing a notification result by the notification means, to the transmission side timer means for performing a time count and control means for causing the transmission means to start the transmission, when it is judged by the timer means that a predetermined period of time is elapsed, so that it can be easily notified to the transmission side whether or not the data reception was notified to terminals on the LAN.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving data designated to a plurality of receivers, from a transmission side;

a notification unit for notifying the plurality of receivers that said reception unit received the data;

a transmission unit for transmitting information representing a notification result by said notification unit, to the transmission side from which the data received by said reception unit was transmitted;

a selection unit for selecting one of a first mode and a second mode; and

a determining unit for determining whether a predetermined time has been reached or not,

wherein said transmission unit, in the first mode, transmits one by one information representing the notification results corresponding to each of receivers by said notification unit regardless of a determination by said determining unit, and in the second mode, transmits collectively the information representing the notification results for the receivers by said notification unit at the time when said determining unit determines that the predetermined time has been reached.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the first mode is selected by said selection unit, said transmission unit transmits the information representing the notification result for one receiver at one communication.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said notification unit notifies the receivers which are designated by the transmission side that said reception unit received the data.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a case where the notification by said notification unit was successful is a state where the receiver can obtain the data.

5. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a reception unit for receiving data designated to a receiver, from a transmission side;

a notification unit for notifying the receiver that said reception unit received the data;

a transmission unit for transmitting information representing a notification result by said notification unit, to the transmission side from which the data received by said reception unit was transmitted;

a setting unit for setting whether the transmission of the information representing the notification result by said transmission unit based on an instruction by said data processing apparatus side is to be permitted or not,

wherein a setting result by said setting unit is notified to the transmission side, and

wherein said transmission unit does not transmit the information representing the notification result until said reception unit receives a request from the transmission side from which the data received by said reception unit was transmitted in a case where said setting unit sets the transmission is not to be permitted, and transmits the information representing the notification result even without the request from the transmission side in a case where said setting unit sets the transmission is to be permitted.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said setting unit sets one of a first mode and a second mode and said transmission unit performs the transmission in accordance with the mode set by said setting unit.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in the first mode, said transmission unit transmits one by one the information representing the notification results for a plurality of receivers by said notification unit by plural-time communications, and in the second mode said transmission unit transmits collectively the information representing the notification results for a plurality of receivers by said notification unit by one-time communication.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transmission unit generates a call on the basis of destination information included in the data received by said reception unit.

9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said notification unit notifies the receiver which is designated by the transmission side that said reception unit received the data.

10. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a case where the notification by said notification unit was successful is a state where the receiver can obtain the data.

11. A control method of a data processing apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data designated to a plurality of receivers, from a transmission side;

a notification step of notifying the plurality of receivers that the data is received in said reception step;

a transmission step of transmitting information representing a notification result in said notification step, to the transmission side from which the data received in said reception step was transmitted;

a selection step of selecting one of a first mode and a second mode; and

a determining step of determining whether a predetermined time has been reached or not,

wherein said transmission step, in the first mode, transmits one by one the information representing the notification results corresponding to each of receivers by said notification step regardless of a determinination by said determining step, and in the second mode, transmits collectively the information representing the notification results for the receivers by said notification step at the time when said determining step determines that the predetermined time has been reached.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein, in a case where the first mode is selected in said selection step, said transmission step transmits the information representing the notification result for one receiver at one communication.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said notification step notifies the receivers which are designated by the transmission side that the data was received in said reception step.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein in a case where the notification in said notification step was successful is a state where the receiver can obtain the data.

15. A control method of data processing apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data designated to a receiver, from a transmission side;

a notification step of notifying the receiver that the data is received in said reception step;

a transmission step of transmitting information representing a notification result in said notification step, to the transmission side from which the data received in said reception step was transmitted;

a setting step of setting whether the transmission of the information representing the notification result by said transmission step based on an instruction by said data processing apparatus side is to be permitted or not,

wherein a setting result by said setting step is notified to the transmission side, and

wherein said transmission step does not transmit the information representing the notification result until said reception step receives a request from the transmission side from which the data received by said reception step was transmitted in a case where said setting step sets the transmission is not to be permitted, and transmits the information representing the notification result even without the request from the transmission side in a case where said setting step sets the transmission is to be permitted.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said setting step sets one of a first mode and a second mode, and said transmission step performs the transmission in accordance with the mode set in said setting step.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein in the first mode said transmission step transmits one by one the information representing the notification results for a plurality of receivers in said notification step by plural-time communications, and in the second mode said transmission step transmits collectively the information representing the notification results for a plurality of receivers in said notification step by one-time communication.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein said transmission step generates a call on the basis of destination information included in the data received in said reception step.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein said notification step notifies the receiver which is designated by the transmission side that the data was received in said reception step.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein a case where the notification in said notification step was successful is a state where the receiver can obtain the data.

21. A memory medium comprising:

a tangible computer readable medium storing computer readable code which when executed by a data processing apparatus performs the following method comprising;

a reception step of receiving data designated to a plurality of receivers, from a transmission side;

a notification step of notifying the plurality of receivers that said reception step received the data;

a transmission step of transmitting information representing a notification result by said notification step, to the transmission side from which the data received by said reception step was transmitted;

a selected step of selecting one of a first mode and a second mode; and

a determining step of determined whether a predetermined time has been reached or not,

wherein said transmission step, in the first mode, transmits one by one information representing the notification results corresponding to each of receivers by said notification step regardless of a determination by said determining step, and in the second mode, transmits collectively the information representing the notification results for the receivers by said notification step at the time when said determining step determines that the predetermined time has been reached.

22. A memory medium according to claim 21, wherein, in a case where the first mode is selected by said selection step, said transmission step transmits the information representing the notification result for one receiver at one communication.

23. A memory medium according to claim 21, wherein said notification step notifies the receivers which are designated by the transmission side that said reception step received the data.

24. A memory medium according to claim 21, wherein a case where the notification by said notification step was successful is a state where the receiver can obtain the data.

25. A memory medium comprising:

a tangible computer readable medium storing computer readable code which when executed by a data processing apparatus performs the following method comprising;

a reception step of receiving data designated to a receiver, from a transmission side;

a notification step of notifying the receiver that said reception step received the data;

a transmission step of transmitting information representing a notification result by said notification step, to the transmission side from which the data received by said reception step was transmitted;

a setting step of setting whether the transmission of the information representing the notification result by said transmission step based on an instruction by said data processing apparatus side is to be permitted or not,

wherein a setting result by said setting step is notified to the transmission side, and

wherein said transmission step does not transmit the information representing the notification result until said reception step receives a request from the transmission side from which the data received by said reception step was transmitted in a case where said setting step sets the transmission is not to be permitted, and transmits the information representing the notification result even without the request from the transmission side in a case where said setting step sets the transmission is to be permitted.

26. A memory medium according to claim 25, wherein said setting step sets one of a first mode and a second mode and said transmission step performs the transmission in accordance with the mode set by said setting step.

27. A memory medium according to claim 26, wherein in the first mode said transmission step transmits one by one the information representing the notification results for a plurality of receivers by said notification step by plural-time communications, and in the second mode said transmission step transmits collectively the information representing the notification results for a plurality of receivers by said notification step by one-time communication.

28. A memory medium according to claim 25, wherein said transmission step generates a call on the basis of destination information included in the data received by said reception step.

29. A memory medium according to claim 25, wherein said notification step notifies the receiver which is designated by the transmission side that said reception step received the data.

30. A memory medium according to claim 25, wherein a case where the notification by said notification step was successful is a state where the receiver can obtain the data.