Internet facsimile apparatus and E-mail communication method

• US 7,212,302 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toyoda, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia; Gabriel I.
• Application Number:
  US10/183,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/434, 358/402, 358/403, 358/407, 358/440, 358/468, 358/448, 358/400, 358/500, 709/200, 709/206, 709/239, 709/217, 709/219, 709/235, 709/246
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

An e-mail communication apparatus connected an administrator via a network includes a receiver that receives e-mail from a sender over the network and a detector that detects whether or not the received e-mail can be handled, based upon whether the e-mail can be opened in the e-mail communication apparatus. A printer prints the received e-mail when the detector detects that the e-mail can be handled in e-mail communication apparatus and a transmitter transmits a notice e-mail to the administrator when the detector detects that the e-mail cannot be handled in e-mail communication apparatus. The receiver, the detector and the printer are integrated in the e-mail communication apparatus.

Claims

1. An Internet facsimile apparatus connected to an administrator via a network, the administrator being distinct from the Internet facsimile apparatus, the Internet facsimile apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an e-mail from a sender via the network;

a printer configured to print the received e-mail, the printer comprising an operational section of the Internet facsimile apparatus; and

a controller configured to determine whether the received e-mail can be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus, to print the received e-mail when the received e-mail can be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus, and to transmit a predetermined notice to the administrator via the network when the received e-mail can not be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus, the predetermined notice indicating that the received e-mail could not be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus.

2. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller generates the predetermined notice to include an account of the Internet facsimile apparatus and a mail address of the sender.

3. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprises a communicator configured to be connected to a telephone network and to receive and transmit facsimile data via the telephone network, the communicator comprising an operational section of the Internet facsimile apparatus.

4. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined notice is configured to be transmitted by the administrator to the sender.

5. An Internet facsimile apparatus connected to an administrator via a network, the administrator being distinct from the Internet facsimile apparatus, the Internet facsimile apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an e-mail from a sender via the network;

a printer configured to print the received e-mail, the printer comprising an operational section of the Internet facsimile apparatus; and

a controller configured to determine whether the received e-mail can be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus based on a format of the received e-mail, to print the received e-mail when the received e-mail can be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus, and to transmit a predetermined notice to the administrator via the network when the received e-mail can not be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus, the predetermined notice indicating that the received e-mail could not be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus.

6. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller generates the predetermined notice to include an account of the Internet facsimile apparatus and a mail address of the sender.

7. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 5, further comprises a communicator configured to be connected to a telephone network and to receive and transmit facsimile data via the telephone network, the communicator comprising an operational section of the Internet facsimile apparatus.

8. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the predetermined notice is configured to be transmitted by the administrator to the sender.

9. A method for communicating an e-mail by an Internet facsimile apparatus connected to an administrator, the administrator being distinct from the Internet facsimile apparatus, the Internet facsimile apparatus comprising a printer, the printer comprising an operational section of the Internet facsimile apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving an e-mail from a sender via the network;

determining whether the received e-mail can be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus;

printing the received e-mail when the received e-mail can be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus; and

transmitting a predetermined notice to the administrator via the network when the received e-mail can not be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus, the predetermined notice indicating that the received e-mail could not be opened in the Internet facsimile apparatus.

10. A method for communicating an e-mail by an Internet facsimile apparatus connected to an administrator, the administrator being distinct from the Internet facsimile apparatus, the Internet facsimile apparatus comprising a printer, the printer comprising an operational section of the Internet facsimile apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving an e-mail from a sender via the network;

determining whether the received e-mail can be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus based on a format of the received e-mail;

printing the received e-mail when the received e-mail can be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus; and

transmitting a predetermined notice to the administrator via the network when the received e-mail can not be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus, the predetermined notice indicating that the received e-mail could not be printed in the Internet facsimile apparatus.