U.S. patent application number 09/104177 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for internet facsimile apparatus and information terminal device.
This patent application is currently assigned to MATSUSHITA GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, INC. Invention is credited to SAITO, KYOJI, TOYODA, KIYOSHI.
Application Number | 20010040693 09/104177 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 16236769 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010040693 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SAITO, KYOJI ; et
al. |
November 15, 2001 |
INTERNET FACSIMILE APPARATUS AND INFORMATION TERMINAL DEVICE
Abstract
In the case where received e-mail data can not be printed,
e-mail control section 33 transfers the received e-mail data to
another information terminal device. And facsimile control section
34 instructs facsimile section 27 to print an error message
including sender information and an attached file format. And
indication control section 35 starts up indication section 29.
Inventors: |
SAITO, KYOJI; (KAWASAKI-SHI,
JP) ; TOYODA, KIYOSHI; (TOKYO, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM AND BERNSTEIN
1941 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
|
Assignee: |
MATSUSHITA GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS, INC
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
16236769 |
Appl. No.: |
09/104177 |
Filed: |
June 25, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.15 ;
358/402 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 2201/3223 20130101;
H04N 2201/0015 20130101; H04N 1/32635 20130101; H04N 2201/3214
20130101; H04N 1/32128 20130101; H04N 2201/3215 20130101; H04N
2201/0067 20130101; H04N 2201/3271 20130101; H04N 1/32657 20130101;
H04N 1/00217 20130101; H04N 1/32678 20130101; H04N 1/32614
20130101; H04N 2201/3207 20130101; H04N 1/00214 20130101; H04N
2201/3273 20130101; H04N 2201/3205 20130101; H04N 1/00238 20130101;
H04N 2201/3261 20130101; H04N 2201/0068 20130101; H04N 1/00212
20130101; H04N 1/00236 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/1.15 ;
358/402 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 30, 1997 |
JP |
JP9-189176 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An Internet facsimile apparatus comprising: deciding means for
deciding whether or not a received e-mail data is printable;
identifying means for identifying an address of an information
terminal device to be transferred; and transferring means for
transferring an unprintable e-mail data into said information
terminal device to be transferred
2. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said deciding means decides, only in the case where the received
e-mail data meets a requirement registered in advance, that the
received e-mail data is printable.
3. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said identifying means identifies an address of an information
terminal device to be transferred from a header information of the
received e-mail data.
4. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said identifying means identifies an address of an information
terminal device of a sender as an address of an information
terminal device to be transferred
5. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising indicating means for indicating that the received e-mail
data is unprintable.
6. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising extracting means for extracting a specific information
from the header information of the unprintable e-mail data, and
printing means for printing an error message including said
specific information.
7. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
said extracting means extracts as a part of the specific
information at least a sender information and an attached file
format.
8. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
said printing means adds information concerning that the received
e-mail is unprintable into a part of an error message.
9. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising notifying means for notifying information concerning
that the received e-mail data is unprintable to an information
terminal device to be transferred.
10. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
said notifying means notifies the specific information extracted
from the header information of the unprintable e-mail data to the
information terminal device to be transferred.
11. An Internet facsimile apparatus comprising: deciding means for
deciding whether or not a received e-mail data is printable;
extracting means for extracting a specific information from a
header information of an unprintable e-mail data; and printing
means for printing an error message including said specific
information.
12. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 11, wherein
said deciding means decides, only in the case where the received
e-mail data meets a requirement registered in advance, that the
received e-mail data is printable.
13. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 11, wherein
said extracting means extracts as a part of the specific
information at least a sender information and an attached file
format.
14. The Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 11, wherein
said printing means adds information concerning that the received
e-mail data is unprintable into a part of an error message.
15. An information terminal device, said information terminal
device comprises instructing means for instructing, in the case
where it is notified that an unprintable e-mail data is received
from the Internet facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, said
Internet facsimile apparatus to transfer the unprintable e-mail
data or not.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an Internet facsimile
apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data using an e-mail
system.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Generally an information terminal device such as a personal
computer comprises a large-capacity memory device and stores all
received data at the memory device. A user identifies the data
content indicated on a display screen before decides whether or not
the data is printed at a printer.
[0005] On the contrast, since an Internet facsimile apparatus for
transmitting and receiving image data using an e-mail system does
not have an enough-capacity memory device, it converts the received
data into facsimile data sequentially to print, and deletes
sequentially the data which printing is completed. A user
recognizes the received data content by identifying a recording
paper on which the data is printed.
[0006] The processing of data reception up to printing at a
conventional Internet facsimile apparatus is explained using a flow
chart in FIG. 1 in the following.
[0007] First the e-mail data received at an Internet facsimile
apparatus is temporally stored (ST101 and ST102).
[0008] And it is decided whether or not the stored data is
printable (ST103), then when it is possible to print the stored
data, the stored data is converted into a facsimile format and
printed (ST104 and ST105). On the other hand, when it is impossible
to print the stored data, the stored data is deleted (ST106).
[0009] As described above, in the case of receiving an unprintable
e-mail data, since the conventional Internet facsimile apparatus
deletes the data, a user can not recognize that the data is
received and either can not identify the data content even using
another method.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide an
Internet facsimile apparatus in which, when an unprintable e-mail
data is received, a user can recognize that the data is received
and can identifies the data content.
[0011] The object of the present invention is achieved, when an
unprintable e-mail data is received, by printing an error massage
including sender information and an attached file format, and
transferring information concerning the reception of an unprintable
e-mail to another information terminal device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the processing of data
reception up to printing at a conventional Internet facsimile
apparatus;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a network configuration diagram including an
Internet facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration
of an Internet facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a function diagram illustrating a function of
control section at an Internet facsimile apparatus in the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an error
message printed at an Internet facsimile apparatus in the
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are flow charts illustrating the
processing of data reception up to printing at an Internet
facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] The embodiment of the present invention is explained in
detail with reference to drawings in the following.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a network configuration diagram including an
Internet facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0020] In FIG. 2, the e-mail data transmitted from another Internet
facsimile apparatus 11 or personal computer 12 is received at
Internet facsimile apparatus 13 in the embodiment of the present
invention via the Internet. To communicate via the Internet, the
document data of an e-mail is converted into the text format. And
the image data, voice data and so on are also converted into the
text format, and transmitted and received as an attached file to
document data.
[0021] Internet facsimile apparatus 13 format converts a received
data into facsimile data to print. At this time, in the case where
the received data includes the data that can not be format
converted into facsimile data, it is transferred to another
information terminal 14 such as a personal computer.
[0022] Next the basic configuration of an Internet facsimile
apparatus of the present invention is explained with a block
diagram in FIG. 3.
[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 3, an Internet facsimile apparatus is
primarily composed of control unit 21 for providing controls of
data identification, data recognition and so on, ROM 22 for storing
a program, RAM 23 to be used as a data area of the program,
interface section 24 for executing a procedure necessary to
transmit and receive data by e-mail, data storing section 25 to
store the received data temporally, format converting section 26
for converting the format of the received data, facsimile section
27 for reading an original paper and printing the received data,
modem 28 for modulating and demodulating the data transmitted and
received between telephone lines and LAN and indication section 29
for notifying the reception of data to a user.
[0024] Next the function of control unit 21 at an Internet
facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention is
explained with a function diagram illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0025] As illustrated in FIG. 4, control unit 21 is composed of
primarily printing decision section 31 for deciding whether or not
the stored e-mail data (hereinafter called "stored data") is
printable, specific information extracting section 32 for
extracting the necessary information from the stored data, e-mail
control section 33 for control the transmission and reception of
e-mail data,facsimile control section 34 for controlling the
transmission and reception of facsimile data, and indication
control section 35 for controlling indication section 29.
[0026] ROM 22 has template document memory table 36 in which a
template document attached to an error message is memorized. RAM 23
is for printing requirement table 37 in which the requirement to
print at the Internet facsimile apparatus is registered and
transfer address table 38 in which an address to transfer the data
is registered.
[0027] Printing decision section 31 decides whether or not the file
format of the stored data at data storing section 25 meets the
requirement memorized in advance in printing requirement table 37
at RAM 23. And it outputs the decision result to e-mail control
section 33, facsimile control section 34 and indication control
section 35.
[0028] Specific information extracting section 32 predetermines
specific codes such as "From:" indicating a mail address of a
sender, "Content-Type:" indicating a format of an attached file,
and extracts the specific information set by the predetermined
specific codes from the stored data. In addition, all of header
information may be extracted as specific information.
[0029] E-mail control section 33 instructs printing decision
section 31 to execute the decision processing when e-mail data are
stored at data storing section 25. And e-mail control section 33
instructs specific information extracting section 32 to execute the
extraction processing when printing decision section 31 decides
that the stored is unprintable, concurrently acquires an address of
a information terminal device to be transferred from transfer
address table 38 and transfers the extracted specific information
from interface section 24 to the information terminal device to be
transferred.
[0030] In addition, another method to acquire a transfer
destination address is to insert an address of information terminal
device to be transferred in head information and read it. By using
this method, when the transmitted data is unprintable at an
Internet facsimile apparatus, a sender can transfer the data to an
information terminal device at the predetermined transfer
destination address without other procedures. And e-mail section 33
may acquire an address of the sender from the head information and
return the received data to the sender.
[0031] And e-mail control section 33 transmits the stored data to
an information terminal device to be transferred if it gets the
transfer instruction from the information terminal device to be
transferred. On the contrast, it deletes the stored data if it gets
the deleting instruction from the information terminal device to be
transferred.
[0032] And in the case where printing decision section 31 decides
that the stored data is printable, facsimile control section 34
instructs format converting section 26 to convert the stored data
into the facsimile data and instructs facsimile section 27 to print
the converted facsimile data.
[0033] And in the case where printing requirement decision section
decides that the stored data is unprintable, facsimile control
section 34 instructs format converting section 26 to convert the
specific information extracted at specific information extracting
section 32 into the facsimile data and instructs facsimile section
27 to print an error message including the converted specific
information attached a template document registered in template
document table 36 at ROM 22.
[0034] In the case where printing decision section 31 decides that
the stored data is unprintable, indication control section 35 start
up indication section 29. The start up of indication section 29
includes indicating a ramp or buzzing a buzzer. By this manner, a
user can confirm that the reception of the data unprintable at an
Internet facsimile apparatus early, which allows him/her to take an
action to deal it fast, such as transferring the received data to
another information terminal device and identifying the content at
the information terminal device to be transferred.
[0035] In addition, to use a printer at facsimile section 27
effectively, the apparatus in the embodiment of the present
invention has the configuration where format converting section 26
converts the stored data into the facsimile data such as MH data
and outputs it to facsimile section 27, then facsimile section 27
converts the facsimile data into the printable data and prints it.
However the configuration of the apparatus according to the present
invention is not limited by the embodiment described above. It is
also preferable that format converting section 26 converts the
stored data into the facsimile data, further converts it into the
printable data and outputs it to facsimile section 27. For
instance, in the case where the Internet facsimile apparatus
receives the text data, format converting section 26 converts the
character code data into the bit map data and outputs it to
facsimile section 27.
[0036] Next FIG. 5 is used to illustrate an example of an error
message printed at facsimile section 27 at an Internet facsimile
apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention. As
illustrated in FIG. 5, an error message is composed of a mail
address of a sender recorded after "From:", header information
including a format of attached file recorded after "Content-Type:"
and a template document.
[0037] By seeing the content of the error message, since a user can
confirm the reception of data unprintable at the Internet facsimile
apparatus and the sender of the data, he/she can take an action to
deal it fast such as notifying that the reception of the
unprintable data to the sender.
[0038] Next flow charts in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are use to explain the
processing of data reception up to printing at an Internet
facsimile apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0039] First an e-mail transmitted from a personal computer or
another Internet facsimile apparatus is received interface section
24 via the Internet (ST601) and stored temporally at data storing
section 25 (ST602).
[0040] Next printing decision section 31 compares the stored data
with the requirements registered in printing requirement table 37
and decides whether or not it is printable (ST603). For instance,
in the case where it is registered in printing requirement table 37
that the printable data format is only TIFF and the printable data
capacity per a page is less than 1 MB, printing decision section 31
first decides whether or not the data is the TIFF format. If the
stored data is the TIFF format, it is decided whether or not the
data volume per a page of the stored data is less that 1 MB.
[0041] In the case where the stored data is decided printable, by
the instruction from facsimile control section 34, the stored data
is converted into the facsimile data at format converting section
26 (ST604) and printed at facsimile section 27 (ST605)
[0042] And in the case where the stored data is decided
unprintable, indication section 29 is first started up by the
instruction from indication control section 35 (ST606). By this
manner, a user can confirm the reception of the data unprintable at
the Internet facsimile apparatus.
[0043] Concurrently e-mail control section 33 decides whether or
not the stored data can be transferred to another information
terminal device (ST607). The decision on the transfer is performed
by deciding whether or not the transfer flag is set, in other
words, another information terminal device is prepared as a
transfer destination. In addition, it is possible to designate the
sender as an information terminal device to be transferred.
[0044] In the case where the stored data can not be transferred,
the header information is extracted from the stored data at
specific information extracting section 32 (ST608), to which a
template document registered in ROM 22 is attached, then the error
message is generated (ST609). The generated error message is, by
the instruction from facsimile control section 34, converted into
the facsimile data at format converting section 26 (ST610) and
printed at facsimile section 27 (ST611). By this manner, a user can
confirm the sender of the received data, which permits him/her to
take an action to deal it fast such as notifying the sender that
the reception of the unprintable data.
[0045] And after the error message is printed, the stored data is
deleted by the instruction from e-mail section 33 (ST612).
[0046] In the case where the stored data can be transferred, e-mail
control section 33 acquires an address of an information terminal
device to be transferred (ST613). As a method to acquire the
address, for instance, to insert an address of an information
terminal device to be transferred in head information of the data,
to register in advance an address of an information terminal device
to be transferred in RAM and to designate it every time by
inputting with key by receiver are considered.
[0047] Next specific information extracting section 32 extracts
specific information including a mail address of a sender and an
attached file format from head information of the stored data
(ST614), and e-mail control section 33 instructs to transmit the
specific information to the information terminal device to be
transferred. By this manner, a user of the information terminal
device to be transferred can obtain the information on the sender
of the data, and select whether the data is transferred or
deleted.
[0048] In the case where an information terminal device to be
transferred instructs to transfer the data (ST616), e-mail control
section 33 instructs to transfer the stored data to an information
terminal device to be transferred (ST617). And facsimile section 27
prints the transfer result as log information (ST618).
[0049] In the case where an information terminal device to be
transferred instructs to deleted the data (ST619), or in the case
where the rest capacity of a memory device at an Internet facsimile
device is reduced, for instance in the case where another data is
received without any instruction (ST620), e-mail control section 33
instructs to delete the stored data (ST621).
[0050] In addition in the present invention, although the specific
information is transmitted before the stored data is transferred to
an information terminal device to be transferred, it is also
preferable to transfer the stored data immediately after the
address acquisition depending on the user's requirement. And even
in the case where the stored data was transferred, it is possible
to print an error message by programming the operation of the
control unit. And in the case where a part of the stored data is
printable, it is possible to print only the part by programming the
operation of the control unit.
[0051] As described above, the present invention can provide the
Internet facsimile apparatus in which, in the case of receiving an
unprintable e-mail, a user can recognizes the reception of the data
and identifies the data content.
* * * * *