Data transmission apparatus, data transmission method and data transmission program

• US 7,548,993 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Koguchi, Masatsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, ASHOKKUMAR B
• Application Number:
  US10/098,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20020141380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,647 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/246, 709/206, 379/93.15, 379/100.13, 379/100.12
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• 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 1/00209 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 1/32368 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data

Abstract

A data transmission apparatus capable of transmitting image data to a recipient using recipient'"'"'s desired transmission parameters regardless of whether the recipient resides inside or outside an intranet to which the apparatus is connected, wherein the recipient is requested via an e-mail to designate the desired transmission parameters through the most appropriate transmission medium that is set in consideration of the recipient'"'"'s location. Specifically, the transmission medium is set to a Web browser if the recipient resides inside the intranet to which the apparatus is connected, while it is set to an e-mail if the recipient resides outside the intranet.

Claims

1. A data transmission apparatus for transmitting image data over a network, the data transmission apparatus comprising:

an image reader for obtaining image data by reading an original document;

a storage device in which the obtained image data is stored;

a requester to transmit a request to a recipient device to which the image data stored in the storage device is to be sent for a designation of conversion processes to be performed to the image data;

a first receiver to receive from the recipient device the designation of the conversion processes;

a second receiver to receive from the recipient device the designation of the conversion processes via a transmission medium different from that used by the first receiver;

a switch to select one of the first and second receivers to receive the designation of the conversion process from the recipient device based on information associated with a recipient using the recipient device;

a converter to perform the conversion processes on the image data stored in the storage device based on the conversion processes; and

a transmitter to transmit the image data that has undergone the conversion processes to the recipient device.

2. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the requester has a mail transmitter to transmit an e-mail to request the designation of the conversion processes.

3. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first receiver receives the designation of the conversion processes based on an instruction sent from the recipient device via a setting screen that is used to designate the conversion processes and that was referred to by the recipient based on information that was attached to the e-mail and indicates location of data for the setting screen, and

wherein the second receiver receives the designation the conversion processes via an e-mail that was returned from the recipient in response to the e-mail sent by the mail transmitter.

4. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the switcher switches to the first receiver when a domain name in an e-mail address of the recipient is identical to a domain name in an e-mail address of a sender, and to the second receiver when the domain name in the e-mail address of the recipient is different from the domain name in the e-mail address of the sender.

5. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion processes include at least a resolution conversion process, a color conversion process or a file format conversion process.

6. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a recipient change receiver to receive an instruction to change the recipient,

and wherein the transmitter transmits the image data that has undergone the conversion processes to a new recipient when the recipient is changed.

7. A data transmission method for transmitting image data over a network, the data transmission method comprising:

obtaining image data by reading an original document;

storing the image data obtained in a storage device;

requesting, via a transmission to a recipient device to which the image data stored in the storage device is to be sent, that a recipient using the recipient device designate conversion processes to be performed to the image data;

selecting one of a first receiver and a second receiver to be used for receiving a designation of the conversion process from the recipient device based on information associated with a recipient using the recipient device via a switch, wherein the second receiver is configured to receive from the recipient device the designation of the conversion processes via a transmission medium different from that used by the first receiver;

receiving from the recipient device, the designation of the conversion processes via the selected one of the first receiver and second receiver;

performing the conversion processes to the image data stored in the storage device based on the designation of the conversion processes; and

sending to the recipient device the image data that has undergone the conversion processes.

8. A computer-readable recording medium embodying a data transmission program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising:

obtaining image data by reading an original document;

storing the image data obtained in a storage device;

requesting via a transmission to a recipient device to which the image data stored in the storage device is to be sent, that a recipient using the recipient device designate conversion processes to be performed to the image data;

selecting one of a first receiver and a second receiver to be used for receiving a designation of the conversion process from the recipient device based on information associated with the recipient via a switch, wherein the second receiver is configured to receive from the recipient device the designation of the conversion processes via a transmission medium different from that used by the first receiver;

receiving from the recipient device, the designation of the conversion processes via the one of the first receiver and second receiver;

performing the conversion processes to the image data to be sent based on the designation of the conversion processes; and

sending the image data that has undergone the conversion processes to the recipient device.

9. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein requesting of the designation of the conversion processes is made through transmission of an e-mail.

10. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, wherein the designation of the conversion processes is received via an instruction sent from the recipient device using a setting screen that is used to designate the conversion processes and that was referred to by the recipient based on information that was attached to the e-mail and indicates location of data for the setting screen if the first receiver is selected, and the designation of the conversion processes is received via an e-mail returned in response to the e-mail sent if the second receiver is selected.

11. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 10, wherein the selecting step comprises selecting the first receiver when a domain name in an e-mail address of the recipient is identical to a domain name in an e-mail address of a sender, and selecting the second receiver when the domain name in the e-mail address of the recipient is different from the domain name in the e-mail address of the sender.

12. A computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein the process to be executed by the computer further comprises a step of receiving an instruction to change the recipient, and when the recipient is changed, the image data that has undergone the conversion processes is sent to the new recipient.