Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-03
2004-06-15
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2724)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S401000, C358S001150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06750982
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based on Application No. HEI 10-318497 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having the function of transmitting electronic mail.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a network environment has expanded in recent years, a plurality of printers have been connected to the network. As a result, a user is allowed to select a given one of the printers via a personal computer connected to the network and cause the selected printer to perform a printing operation.
To cause the selected printer to perform a proper printing operation, a printer driver for the printer should be installed on the personal computer. If the compatible printer driver has not been installed on the personal computer, an erroneous printing operation might be performed.
To prevent the erroneous printing operation, there has been proposed an exemplary technique which causes a personal computer to automatically identify the model of a printer newly connected to a network and display, on the screen, the massage that printing cannot be performed with the printer if the printer driver for the model has not been installed on the personal computer (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI 10-63451).
Since the technique described in the publication allows a user to recognize whether or not printing can be performed on the screen, it prevents printing with an uninstalled printer driver, i.e., erroneous printing.
With the technique described in the publication, however, the compatible printer driver should eventually be set on the personal computer of each user. In other words, it is required to perform the operation of installing the printer driver for the printer on each personal computer.
Since only the supervisor of the printer normally possesses a software for the printer driver, the supervisor is requested to lend the software to the user or visit the user to install the software if necessary. Since the installing operation needs much labor if the follow-up to setting is included therein, a heavy burden is placed on the supervisor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been achieved in view of such a problem encountered by the prior art and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus having the function of transmitting electronic mail which can reduce burdensome installing operation to be performed by the supervisor.
An image forming apparatus according to the present invention, which attains the foregoing object, comprises: a storing unit connected to other external devices via a network to store address data for the external devices; and a transmitting unit for transmitting, based on the address data stored in the storing unit, data for using the image forming apparatus to one of the external devices.
In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention which attains the foregoing object, the data for using the image forming apparatus is a printer driver.
In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention which attains the foregoing object, the address data is an electronic mail address.
In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention which attains the foregoing object, the transmitting unit attaches a printer driver to electronic mail and sends electronic mail with the printer driver to the electronic mail address of the image forming apparatus.
Another image forming apparatus according to the present invention, which attains the foregoing object, comprises: a storing unit connected to other external devices via a network to store address data for the external devices; a transmitting unit for transmitting, based on the address data stored in the storing unit, data for using the image forming apparatus to one of the external devices; and a receiving unit for receiving return data from that one of the external devices to which the data for using the image forming apparatus has been transmitted, the transmitting unit transmitting again the data for using the image forming apparatus to that one of the external devices which has not transmitted the return data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5014300 (1991-05-01), Harvath
patent: 5291305 (1994-03-01), Sakashita
patent: 5625407 (1997-04-01), Biggs
patent: 6145016 (2000-11-01), Lai
patent: 6288716 (2001-09-01), Humpleman
patent: 6424424 (2002-07-01), Lomas et al.
patent: 6496283 (2002-12-01), Kabeya
patent: 6542892 (2003-04-01), Cantwell
patent: 08-161250 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 10-063451 (1998-03-01), None
Taima Katsuyuki
Takaira Masatoshi
Grant II Jerome
Minolta Co. Ltd
LandOfFree
Image forming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3343616