US6094277A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internet facsimile apparatus and E-mail communication method
Assignee: Panasonic System Solutions Japan Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1998-11-03
•
Granted: 2000-07-25
•
Expires: 2018-11-03
Abstract
Abstract E-mail transmitting/receiving means for a network are provided. Identification data are created from the received mail and reply mail including the identification data is notified to the sender of the received mail. In the case that a file attached to the received mail cannot be opened, the message ID of the received mail is included in the identification data. This makes it possible to accurately and simply notify the sender of the data that resulted in an error or data that have been received successfully even in the case that a large capacity memory or hard disk is not available.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyoshi Toyoda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00204; H04N1/00209; H04N1/00214; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/23; H04N1/00212; H04N1/00217; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0015; H04N2201/0017; H04N2201/0018; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0082; H04N2201/0086
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
An Internet facsimile apparatus for receiving image data from an e-mail received over a computer network, comprising: a facsimile device connected to a telephone network; a printer for printing data; an interface connected to the computer network; a data storage for storing the data; and a processor controllably connected to the facsimile device, the printer, the interface and the data storage, wherein, when the e-mail is received through the interface and an image file including a plurality of image data is appended to the e-mail, each image data corresponding to one page of an original document, and when an attribute of the image data included in the image file is unsuitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus, the processor decides whether a volume of image data corresponding to one page of the original document is less than a predetermined value, wherein when the volume is less than the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail including an error message and appended image data corresponding to one page of the original document, and sends the reply mail to a sender, and wherein when the volume exceeds the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail without image data, including e-mail identification information and the error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
An Internet facsimile apparatus for receiving image data from an e-mail received over a computer network, comprising: a facsimile device connected to a telephone network; a printer for printing data; an interface connected to the computer network; a data storage for storing the data; and a processor controllably connected to the facsimile device, the printer, the interface and the data storage, wherein, when the e-mail is received through the interface and an image file including a plurality of image data is appended to the e-mail, each image data corresponding to one page of an original document, and when an attribute of the image data included in the image file is unsuitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus, the processor decides whether a volume of image data corresponding to one page of the original document is less than a predetermined value, wherein when the volume is less than the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail including an error message and appended image data corresponding to one page of the original document, and sends the reply mail to a sender, and wherein when the volume exceeds the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail without image data, including e-mail identification information and the error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image file comprises TIFF.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute of the image data comprises either a paper width or a compression method.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor decides that the attribute of the image data is unsuitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus when the processor is incapable of opening the image data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor decides that the attribute of the image data is unsuitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus when the attribute is unsuitable for a minimum set in the image data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value comprises a capacity of an area where image data of the data storage is stored.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when no image file is appended to the e-mail, the processor analyzes whether text data is included in a body of the e-mail, and when the text data is included, the processor generates a reply mail including the text data and the error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender of the e-mail, and when no text data is included therein, the processor generates a reply mail, including the identification information of the e-mail and the error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
129 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor converts the e-mail to facsimile data transferrable to the facsimile apparatus by the facsimile device, and wherein the processor analyzes whether a transfer instruction is included in the e-mail, and when the transfer instruction is included and the e-mail is not permitted to be transferred to the facsimile apparatus, the processor generates a reply mail including a message indicating that permission to transfer the e-mail to the sender was denied, and sends the reply mail to the sender; and when the e-mail is permitted to be transferred to the facsimile apparatus, the processor generates a reply mail including a message indicating that permission to transfer the e-mail to the sender was granted, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein granting and denying of permission to transfer the e-mail to the facsimile apparatus is decided based upon whether a password received from the sender matches a predetermined password.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
220 words
An Internet facsimile apparatus for receiving image data from an e-mail received over a computer network, comprising: a facsimile device connected to a telephone network; a printer for printing data; an interface connected to the computer network; a data storage for storing the data; and a processor connected to the facsimile device, the printer, the interface and the data storage, wherein when the e-mail is received through the interface and an image file including a plurality of image data is appended to the e-mail, each image data corresponding to one page of an original document, and an attribute of the image data included in the image file is suitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus, the processor decides whether a volume of image data corresponding to one page of the original document is below a predetermined value, wherein when the volume is less than the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail including a message indicating that the e-mail can be normally received and appended image data corresponding to one page of the original document, and sends the reply mail to a sender, and wherein when the volume exceeds the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail without image data including e-mail identification information and an error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
220 words
An Internet facsimile apparatus for receiving image data from an e-mail received over a computer network, comprising: a facsimile device connected to a telephone network; a printer for printing data; an interface connected to the computer network; a data storage for storing the data; and a processor connected to the facsimile device, the printer, the interface and the data storage, wherein when the e-mail is received through the interface and an image file including a plurality of image data is appended to the e-mail, each image data corresponding to one page of an original document, and an attribute of the image data included in the image file is suitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus, the processor decides whether a volume of image data corresponding to one page of the original document is below a predetermined value, wherein when the volume is less than the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail including a message indicating that the e-mail can be normally received and appended image data corresponding to one page of the original document, and sends the reply mail to a sender, and wherein when the volume exceeds the predetermined value, the processor generates a reply mail without image data including e-mail identification information and an error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image file comprises TIFF.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the attribute of the image data comprises either a paper width or a compression method.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor decides that the attribute of the image data is suitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus when the processor is capable of opening the image data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor decides that the attribute of the image data is suitable for the function of the Internet facsimile apparatus when the image data is suitable for a minimum set.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined value comprises a capacity of an area where image data of the data storage is stored.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when the no image file is appended to the e-mail, the processor analyzes whether text data is included in a body of the e-mail, and when text data is included, the processor generates a reply mail, including the text data and the error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender of the e-mail, and when no text data is included, the processor generates a reply mail, including the identification information of the e-mail and the error message, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
128 words
The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor converts the e-mail to facsimile data transferable to the facsimile apparatus by the facsimile device, and the processor analyzes whether a transfer instruction is included in the e-mail, and when the transfer instruction is included and the e-mail is not permitted to be transferred to the facsimile apparatus, the processor generates a reply mail, including a message indicating that permission to transferring the e-mail to the sender was denied, and sends the reply mail to the sender; and when the e-mail is permitted to be transferred to the facsimile apparatus, the processor generates a reply mail, including a message indicating that permission to transfer the e-mail to the sender was granted, and sends the reply mail to the sender.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein denying and granting permission to transfer the e-mail to the facsimile apparatus is decided based upon whether a password received from the sender matches a predetermined password.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5802314A
Cited
JPH06141041A
Cited
US5555100A
Cited
JPH07115521A
Cited
JPH08242326A
Cited
US5881233A
Cited
US5805810A
Cited
US5647002A
Cited
US5903901A
Cited
JPH09116728A
Cited
US5812278A
Cited
US5903723A
Cited
US5859967A
Cited
JPH10117210A
Cited
EP0836315A2
Cited
JPH10164124A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-25 | 2004-01-24 | 2004-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-25 | 2008-01-24 | 2008-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-25 | 2012-01-24 | 2012-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |