Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Communication
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-16
2003-12-02
Coles, Edward (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Communication
C358S403000, C379S100010, C379S100120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06657743
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a communication terminal for receiving and printing image information sent via the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
Techniques for sending image information output from a facsimile and a scanner via the Internet are known. For example, a computer at the receiving end receives the sent image information, displays the information on a display, checks whether the displayed contents are contents to be printed, and if so, prints the displayed contents.
However, in the above conventional type communication terminal, if facsimile data is frequently sent or received between companies, such a procedure is very troublesome and working efficiency for printing received image data is reduced. That is, there is a problem that the above conventional type communication terminal cannot automatically go from receiving to printing as in a normal facsimile.
In addition, when facsimile receiving/sending is performed via the Internet, for example, either a system as shown in FIG.
12
(A), in which it is connected to a provider
103
through a public line
102
from a facsimile device
101
and connected to the Internet
104
through the provider
103
, or a system as shown in FIG.
12
(B), in which the facsimile device
101
is directly connected with the Internet
104
, is used. In FIG.
12
(A), the facsimile device
101
has a function of receiving/sending G
3
compressed data (data which has been encoded according to the G
3
standard), and in the system of FIG.
12
(B), the facsimile device
101
has a function of receiving/sending TIFF compressed data (data which has been encoded in the TIFF format).
Thus, when the operator wants to perform facsimile transmission through both the public line network and the Internet, it is necessary to handle two kinds of data, G
3
and TIFF, in one facsimile device. Therefore, for example, a TIFF buffer to accumulate the TIFF compressed data which was received via the Internet and a G
3
buffer to accumulate the G
3
compressed data which was received via the public line network are needed, and additional memory capacity is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a communication terminal which can automatically print required image information received via the Internet. Specifically, a communication terminal is provided with receiving means for receiving image information via the Internet and a printer for printing the image information received by the receiving means onto a printing medium. The communication terminal operates such that if image information received by the receiving means complies with a predetermined format, printing instructing means instructs the printer to print the image information and the printer prints the image information received by the receiving means onto a printing medium.
The communication terminal may also enable image information to be read by reading means for reading information recorded on an original.
The communication terminal may also include receiving means that is provided with a function for receiving an electronic mail via the Internet and the above predetermined format denotes an image file according to a tag image file format (TIFF) attached to an electronic mail.
The communication terminal may also include a printer that is provided with a power source which enables activation when an activation instruction signal is input and printing instructing means provided with activation instruction signal output means for outputting an activation instruction signal to the printer when the printing instructing means instructs the printer to print received read information.
A storage medium stores a program for controlling a communication terminal provided with receiving means for receiving image information via the Internet and a printer for printing image information received by the receiving means on a printing medium. The storage medium operates such that if image information received by the receiving means complies with a predetermined format, the storage medium stores a computer program including a printing instruction program for instructing the printer to print the image information.
The communication terminal may also operate such that if image information received by receiving means for receiving image information via the Internet complies with a predetermined format, the above printing instructing means instructs the above printer to print the image information and the printer prints the image information onto a printing medium according to an instruction by the printing instructing means. That is, if received image information complies with a predetermined format, the image information can be automatically printed onto a printing medium by the printer.
Therefore, if the format of image information to be automatically printed has only to be preset, the user is saved from performing the labor that is involved when the image information is printed by the printer after the user receives displays and checks the image information.
In addition, the received image information may be information read by reading means for reading information recorded on an original. That is, facsimile data (read information) read by a facsimile (reading means) can be sent via the Internet, however, in that case, at the receiving end, facsimile data is required to be automatically printed as in a normal facsimile.
Facsimile data can only be automatically printed as in a normal facsimile by setting the predetermined format where facsimile data (read information) is sent via the Internet and determining whether the received data is facsimile data based upon that format.
Receiving means is provided with a function for receiving an electronic mail via the Internet and the above predetermined format is an image TIFF file attached to the electronic mail. That is, image information can be sent as a file attached to an electronic mail and for the format of such a file, a TIFF file is often used.
Therefore, if it is determined at the receiving end that a file attached to a received electronic mail is a TIFF file, the contents of the file can be automatically printed by a printer, and information attached to the electronic mail can be automatically received and printed.
Further, the activation instruction signal output means provided to the printing instructing means, outputs an activation instruction signal to a printer when the printer is instructed to print received read information and a power source provided to the printer is structured so that the printer is started when an activation instruction signal is input.
That is, the power source of a printer is not required to be powered on. Thus, because the power source of the printer is powered on only when an activation instruction signal is input, the power consumption of the printer can be reduced.
The storage medium may store a program for controlling a communication terminal provided with receiving means for receiving image information via the Internet and a printer for printing the image information received by the receiving means onto a printing medium. A computer program including a printing instruction program for instructing the printer to print the image information, is also stored in case the image information received by the receiving means complies with a predetermined format. That is, the computer can execute the printing instructing means by installing the program stored in the storage medium in the computer.
As described above, because the communication terminal is structured so that image information is automatically printed by the printer if the received image information complies with a predetermined format, the image information can be automatically printed on a printing medium if the format of image information requiring printing of image information received via the Internet has only to be set as a predetermined format.
Particularly, as the above image information is information read by reading means for reading information recorded on an original, it can be determined whethe
Minamizawa Fumihiro
Otsuka Shuji
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Coles Edward
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Pokrzywa Joseph R.
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