Communication system and communication apparatus building the system

• US 8,582,140 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Kenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, King
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Iriana
• Application Number:
  US11/459,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 358/407, 358/402, 358/1.15, 358/442, 358/438, 358/2.1, 358/462, 358/1.1, 370/352, 370/428, 370/407, 379/102.02, 379/100.08, 379/88.13, 709/206, 709/246, 382173-180
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Facsimile image data received from a normal facsimile apparatus connected to a general telephone network can be transmitted as an e-mail to the e-mail address of a computer network such as a LAN or the like designated by the source facsimile apparatus. An apparatus has a LAN I/F (6-14) for connecting to the LAN, and a line I/F (6-6) for connecting to the public telephone network. Upon reception of a remote instruction from the public telephone network, a CPU (6-3) converts received facsimile image data into e-mail data, and transmits the converted e-mail data to the e-mail address designated by the received remote instruction.

Claims

1. A facsimile apparatus comprising:

a receiver, that receives image data according to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from a sender apparatus;

a clock unit, that indicates a current time;

a converter, that converts the image data received by said receiver into an image file, generates text data regarding reception result information including at least a reception time based on the current time indicated by said clock unit when the image data is received by said receiver and a telephone number corresponding to the sender apparatus of the received image data, and converts the converted image file and the generated text data, into e-mail data in which the image file is inserted in one part and the text data not including the image file is inserted in another part under MIME format, both of the parts being other than a mail header section;

a transmitter, that transmits the e-mail data obtained by said converter to a receiver apparatus that is other than the sender apparatus through a computer network;

said transmitter transmits the e-mail data to a destination specified by information received by said receiver;

a printer that prints an image based on the image data received by said receiver; and

a controller that controls such that the image data received by said receiver is transmitted by said transmitter in a case where the information for specifying the destination is received by said receiver, and the image based on the image data received by said receiver is printed by said printer in a case where the information for specifying the destination is not received by said receiver.

2. A method for a facsimile apparatus comprising the steps of:

receiving image data according to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from a sender apparatus;

converting the received image data into an image file, generating text data regarding reception information including at least a reception time based on a current time indicated by a clock unit of the facsimile apparatus when the image data is received by the facsimile apparatus and a telephone number corresponding to the sender apparatus of the received image data, and converting the converted image file and the generated text data, into e-mail data in which the image file is inserted in one part and the text data not including the image file is inserted in another part under MIME format, both of the parts being other than a mail header section;

transmitting the e-mail data obtained by the converting step to a receiver apparatus that is other than the sender apparatus through a computer network;

transmitting the e-mail data to a destination specified by the image date received;

printing an image based on the image data received; and

controlling such that the image data received is transmitted in a case where the information for specifying the destination is received, and the image based on the image data received is printed in a case where the information for specifying the destination is not received.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program configured to be executed at least by a computer in a facsimile apparatus, the computer program comprising:

program code for receiving image data according to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from a sender apparatus;

program code for converting the received image data into an image file, generating text data regarding reception information including at least a reception time based on a current time indicated by a clock unit of the facsimile apparatus when the image file is received by the facsimile apparatus and a telephone number corresponding to the sender apparatus of the received image data, and converting the converted image file and generated text data into e-mail data in which the image file is inserted in one part and the text data not including the image file is inserted in another part under MIME format, both of the parts being other than a mail header section;

program code for transmitting the e-mail data obtained by the program code for converting to a receiver apparatus that is other than the sender apparatus through a computer network;

program code for transmitting the e-mail data to a destination specified by the image date received;

program code for printing an image based on the image data received; and

program code for controlling such that the image data received is transmitted in a case where the information for specifying the destination is received, and the image based on the image data received is printed in a case where the information for specifying the destination is not received.