Communication device having the capability of performing information exchange between a facsimile medium and an electronic information medium such as an e-mail medium

• US 7,624,150 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Kenzou
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Khanh Q
• Application Number:
  US11/030,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20050120087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/228, 709/220, 709/227, 709/226, 709/223, 370/354, 370/401, 370/352, 379/221, 710/15
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 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 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3278 using a protocol or handshaking signal, e.g. non-standard set-up [NSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus H04N2201/0074; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data

Abstract

A communication device allows a user to get access from the outside via an external public line to obtain e-mail data stored in a device connected to an internal system via a computer network such as a LAN without causing a reduction in security. More specifically, the communication device is connected to a LAN via a LAN I/F and also connected to the public line via a line I/F. If the communication device receives a remote operation command via the public line, a CPU of the communication device gets access to a post office of an e-mail server so as to get e-mail data in accordance with the remote operation command. The obtained e-mail data is converted to facsimile image data and transmitted by means of facsimile to a specified destination.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, adapted to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproduce unit, adapted to reproduce an image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver;

a determining unit, adapted to determine whether the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit or not;

a generating unit, adapted to generate error information in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is not reproducible; and

a printer, adapted to print the image reproduced by said reproduce unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible, and to print the error information generated by said generating unit instead of printing the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver in a case where said determining unit determines that the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is not reproducible, wherein the error information includes information for specifying the e-mail data, received by said receiver, to which the image file corresponding to the image determined to be not reproducible by said determining unit is attached.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a type of the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a memory adapted to store the e-mail data,

wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a remaining capacity of said memory.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer unit adapted to transfer the e-mail data to a designated destination in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transfer unit transfers the image based on the image file reproduced by said reproduce unit to the designated destination by a facsimile communication.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said generating unit generates an error message indicates a classification of an error as the error information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the error information generated by said generating unit includes e-mail address information of a sender of the received e-mail data and date information.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said generating unit generates information for causing another apparatus to receive the e-mail data from the e-mail server.

9. A communication apparatus comprising:

an authentication unit, adapted to perform an authentication for checking whether e-mail data to be received is present in an e-mail server;

a receiver, adapted to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from the e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request in a case where the authentication by said authentication unit has succeeded;

a reproduce unit, adapted to reproduce an image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver;

a determining unit, adapted to determine whether the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit or not, after the authentication performed by said authentication unit has succeeded; and

a request unit, adapted to issue a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received by said receiver in a case where said determining unit determines that the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit and not to issue the delete request to the e-mail server in a case where said determining unit determines that the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is not reproducible by said reproduce unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a type of the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a memory adapted to store the e-mail data,

wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a remaining capacity of said memory.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a printer adapted to print the image reproduced by said reproduce unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a transfer unit adapted to transfer the e-mail data to a designated destination in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said transfer unit transfers the image based on the image file reproduced by said reproduce unit to the designated destination by a facsimile communication.

15. A communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, adapted to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a reproduce unit, adapted to reproduce an image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver;

a determining unit, adapted to determine whether the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit or not;

a printer, adapted to print the image reproduced by said reproduce unit in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible;

a request unit, adapted to issue a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the e-mail data received by said receiver; and

a selection unit, adapted to select a timing for issuing the delete request from a plurality of conditions, the plurality of conditions including any one of a condition regarding said receiver, a condition regarding said determining unit and a condition regarding said printer,

wherein said request unit issues the delete request for deleting the e-mail data received by said receiver at the timing selected by selection unit.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the condition includes that said receiver received the e-mail data from the e-mail server.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the condition includes that said determining unit has determined that the image based on the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver is reproducible by said reproduce unit.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the condition includes that said printer has printed the image reproduced by said reproduce unit.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a type of the image file attached to the e-mail data received by said receiver.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a memory adapted to store the e-mail data,

wherein said determining unit determines whether the image is reproducible in accordance with a remaining capacity of said memory.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a transfer unit adapted to transfer the e-mail data to a designated destination in a case where said determining unit determines that the image is reproducible.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said transfer unit transfers the image based on the image file reproduced by said reproduce unit to the designated destination by a facsimile communication.

23. A communication method comprising:

receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

reproducing an image based on the image file attached to the received e- mail data;

determining whether the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible or not;

generating error information in a case where it is determined that the image is not reproducible; and

printing the reproduced image in a case where it is determined that the image is reproducible, and printing the generated error information instead of printing the image file attached to the received e-mail data in a case where it is determined that the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is not reproducible, the error information including information for specifying the received e-mail data to which the image file corresponding to the image determined to be not reproducible is attached.

24. A communication method comprising:

performing an authentication for checking whether e-mail data to be received is present in an e-mail server;

receiving the e-mail data to which an image file is attached from the e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request in a case where the authentication has succeeded;

reproducing an image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data;

determining whether the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible or not, after the authentication has succeeded; and

issuing a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the received e-mail data in a case where it is determined that the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible and not issuing the delete request to the e-mail server in a case where it is determined that the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is not reproducible.

25. A communication method comprising:

receiving e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

reproducing an image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data;

determining whether the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible or not;

printing the reproduced image in a case where it is determined that the image is reproducible;

issuing a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the received e-mail data; and

selecting a timing for issuing the delete request from a plurality of conditions, the plurality of conditions including any one of a condition regarding the receiving, a condition regarding the determining and a condition regarding the printing,

wherein the delete request for deleting the received e-mail data is issued at the selected timing.

26. A computer-readable storage medium, storing, in executable form, a program, comprising:

a code to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a code to reproduce an image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data;

a code to determine whether the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible or not;

a code to generate error information in a case where it is determined that the image is not reproducible; and

a code to print the reproduced image in a case where it is determined that the image is reproducible, and to print the generated error information instead of printing the image file attached to the received e-mail data in a case where it is determined that the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is not reproducible, the error information including information for specifying the received e-mail data to which the image file corresponding to the image determined to be not reproducible is attached.

27. A computer-readable storage medium, storing, in executable form, a program, comprising:

a code to perform an authentication for checking whether e-mail data to be received is present in an e-mail server;

a code to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from the e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a code to reproduce an image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data;

a code to determine whether the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible or not, after the authentication has succeeded; and

a code to issue a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the received e-mail data in a case where it is determined that the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible and not to issue the delete request to the e-mail server in a case where it is determined that the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is not reproducible.

28. A computer-readable storage medium, storing, in executable form, a program, comprising:

a code to receive e-mail data to which an image file is attached from an e-mail server in accordance with a transmission request;

a code to reproduce an image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data;

a code to determine whether the image based on the image file attached to the received e-mail data is reproducible or not;

a code to print the reproduced image in a case where it is determined that the image is reproducible;

a code to issue a delete request to the e-mail server for deleting the received e-mail data; and

a code to select a timing for issuing the delete request from a plurality of conditions, the plurality of conditions including any one of a condition regarding the receiving, a condition regarding the determining and a condition regarding the printing,

wherein the delete request for deleting the received e-mail data is issued at the selected timing.