Image communicating method, facsimile type electronic mail...

Details Image communicating method, facsimile type electronic mail... Image communicating method, facsimile type electronic mail...

2000-07-28

2002-11-12

Coles, Edward (Department: 2622)

Facsimile and static presentation processing

Static presentation processing

Communication

C358S001200, C358S402000, C358S403000, C709S206000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06480294

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-communicating method in which an image data communication is performed between an electronic mail apparatus and a facsimile apparatus, a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus in which a text obtained in an electronic computer originated mail is processed in the facsimile apparatus, and a facsimile apparatus in which facsimile data received in a facsimile is transmitted to an electronic mail apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An apparatus installed in an office has been recently connected with a local area network (LAN) to efficiently conduct business. For example, a facsimile is connected to the LAN to use the facsimile as a printer. Also, a text or letter prepared in a personal computer is transmitted to a facsimile through the LAN. In a Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H7-143309 (1995), an apparatus in which a text prepared in a personal computer is transmitted by an electronic computer originated mail (hereinafter, called an electronic mail) to a facsimile apparatus through an LAN is proposed.
Also, a facsimile apparatus in which a facsimile is connected with the LAN and image data transmitted from the facsimile is transmitted to a destination by an electronic mail through the LAN is proposed. As an example, a facsimile apparatus connecting an integrated services digital network (ISDN) and an LAN is proposed in a Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H6-164645 (1994), and image data transmitted through the ISDN is transmitted to an address of an electronic mail indicated by a sub-address of the ISDN.
2.1. Previously Proposed Art
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus in which an electronic mail is utilized.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a facsimile apparatus
100
is composed of a central processing unit (CPU)
101
for controlling the facsimile apparatus
100
, a read only memory (ROM)
102
for storing a program, a random access memory (RAM)
103
for storing data used for the program, a panel unit
107
for inputting an instruction indicating the transmission of data, a LAN control unit
109
for controlling the transmission of text data to a LAN or the reception of text data from the LAN, a character-to-image converting unit
120
for converting the text data of an electronic mail transmitted through the LAN to image data, a compressing and expanding unit
108
for compressing or expanding the image data obtained by the character-to-image converting unit
120
, a facsimile communicating unit
113
for transmitting the image data compressed by the compressing and expanding unit
108
to a telephone line or receiving image data from the telephone line, a scanning unit
111
for reading a manuscript to obtain image data, and a printing unit
110
for printing the image data obtained by the character-to-image converting unit
120
or the scanning unit
111
.
In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus
100
, an operation for receiving an electronic mail and transmitting the electronic mail to a facsimile is described.
When an electronic mail transmitted through the LAN is received by the LAN control unit
109
, a text of the electronic mail is converted into image data by the character-to-image converting unit
120
, and the image data is compressed by the compressing and expanding unit
108
. Thereafter, a facsimile number written in a destination box of the electronic mail is read out by the facsimile communicating unit
113
, and the compressed image data is transmitted from the facsimile communicating unit
113
to an address indicated by the facsimile number through the telephone line.
FIG. 2
is a block diagram of a conventional facsimile apparatus in which facsimile data received through a telephone line is transmitted to an address of an electronic mail.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, a facsimile apparatus
120
is composed of a CPU
121
for controlling the facsimile apparatus
120
, a ROM
122
for storing a program, a RAM
123
for storing data used for the program, a facsimile data receiving and transmitting unit
124
for receiving facsimile data transmitted through a telephone line or transmitting facsimile data to the telephone line; a format converting unit
125
for converting a format in the facsimile data received by the facsimile data receiving and transmitting unit
124
to a format of an electronic mail to obtain electronic mail data, and an LAN controlling unit
126
for receiving an electronic mail transmitted through an LAN or transmitting the electronic mail data obtained in the format converting unit
125
.
In the above configuration of the facsimile apparatus
120
, when facsimile data transmitted from a transmitting side through the telephone line-is received in the facsimile data receiving and transmitting unit
124
, an address of an electronic mail is retrieved according to a number of a sub-address of the ISDN by using a corresponding table of registered numbers and mail addresses, the facsimile data is converted to electronic mail data by the format converting unit
125
, and the electronic mail data is transmitted to a receiving side placed at the address of the electronic mail through the LAN controlling unit
126
.
2.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, in the facsimile apparatus
100
according to a first prior art, because a text of the electronic mail is converted into the image data and is transmitted to a facsimile, in cases where a paper size treated on a transmitting side differs from that treated on a receiving side, the text of the electronic mail cannot be transmitted to the facsimile because a paper size adjustment cannot be performed.
Also, because any user can use the facsimile apparatus
100
as a relay unit relaying from the LAN to the facsimile, an owner of the facsimile apparatus
100
is required to pay a communication fee even though another person uses the facsimile apparatus
100
as a relay unit. Therefore, there is a probability that the facsimile apparatus
100
is against owner's interests.
Also, in cases where a transmission error occurs in the facsimile apparatus
100
, a user who transmits an electronic mail to a facsimile cannot know the occurrence of the transmission error.
In the facsimile apparatus
120
according to a second prior art, in cases where a transmission error of the electronic mail occurs, the facsimile apparatus
120
cannot inform the facsimile of the transmitting side that the transmission error occurs. Therefore, a sender cannot know whether or not a manuscript read by the facsimile is correctly transmitted to the receiving side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide, with due consideration to the drawbacks of such a conventional facsimile apparatus, an image communicating method and a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus in which a communication between a transmitting side and a receiving side is performed even though a paper size treated on the transmitting side differs from that treated on the receiving side. Also, the first object is to provide an image communicating method in which the facsimile type electronic mail apparatus is not used by a person other than an owner without permission. Also, the first object is to provide an image communicating method and a facsimile type electronic mail apparatus in which a user who transmits an electronic mail to a facsimile can know the occurrent of a transmission error.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a facsimile apparatus which informs a transmitting side of the occurrence of a transmitting error in cases where the transmitting error of an electronic mail occurs.
The first object is achieved by the provision of an image communicating method, comprising the steps of:
producing image data indicating a particular image written in a particular paper of a particular paper size on a transmitting side;
transmitting the image data from the transmitting side to a receiving side by an electronic mail throug

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