Internet facsimile apparatus, communication processing method and communication processing program

• US 8,184,317 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MADELEINE ANH VINH
• Application Number:
  US11/652,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.13, 358/1.1, 358/402, 358/405, 358/468, 358/442, 358/434, 358/435, 358/436, 358/444, 379/100.1
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 1/00217 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 1/333 Mode signalling or mode changing; Handshaking therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33342 of transmission mode

Abstract

An Internet facsimile apparatus includes a network communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network; a printing unit for printing image data received through the network communication unit from the external apparatus; and a response mode selecting unit for selecting between setting a first response mode to send a response right after image data reception acknowledging reception of the image data and setting a second mode to send a response after image data printing is completed when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received through said network communication unit.

Claims

1. An Internet facsimile apparatus, comprising:

a network communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network;

a printing unit for printing image data received through said network communication unit from the external apparatus; and

a response mode selecting unit for selecting between setting a first response mode to send a response right after image data reception acknowledging successful reception of the image data sent by direct SMTP communication through said network communication unit, and setting a second response mode to shut down communication with the external apparatus until image data printing is completed and to send a response after image data printing is completed acknowledging successful reception of the image data when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received through said network communication unit.

2. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an operation unit for allowing the user to manually select one of the first response mode and the second response mode.

3. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the response mode selecting unit selects/sets a response mode according to the information contained in the received data.

4. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates either the first response mode or the second response mode.

5. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates that the received data is important.

6. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein image data is transmitted from the external apparatus after a DATA command.

7. A communication processing method, comprising the steps of:

communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network;

printing image data received from the external apparatus by the direct SMTP communication; and

selecting between setting a first response mode to send a response right after image data reception acknowledging successful receipt of the image data sent by direct SMTP communication, and setting a second response mode to shut down communication with the external apparatus until image data printing is completed and to send a response after image data printing is completed acknowledging successful reception of the image data when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received.

8. The communication processing method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first response mode or the second response mode is set according to a manual input operation by the user in an operation unit in the step of response mode selection.

9. The communication processing method as recited in claim 7, wherein a response mode is set according to the information contained in the received data in the step of response mode selection.

10. The communication processing method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates either the first response mode or the second response mode.

11. The communication processing method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates that the received data is important.

12. The communication processing method as recited in claim 7, wherein image data is transmitted from the external apparatus after a DATA command.

13. A nontransitory computer readable medium encoded with a communication processing program for making a computer execute the steps of:

communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network;

printing image data received from the external apparatus by the direct SMTP communication; and

selecting between setting a first response mode to send a response right after image data reception acknowledging successful receipt of the image data sent by direct SMTP communication, and setting a second response mode to shut down communication with the external apparatus until image data printing is completed and to send a response after image data printing is completed acknowledging successful reception of the image data when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received.

14. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, for making a computer set either the first response mode or the second response mode according to a manual input operation by the user in an operation unit in the step of response mode selection.

15. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, for making a computer set a response mode according to the information contained in the received data in the step of response mode selection.

16. The communication processing program as recited in claim 15, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates either the first response mode or the second response mode.

17. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates that the received data is important.

18. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, wherein image data is transmitted from the external apparatus after a DATA command.