Internet facsimile apparatus, communication processing method and communication processing program

Abstract

An Internet facsimile apparatus, comprising: a network communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network, a printing unit for printing image data received through the network communication unit from the external apparatus, and a response mode selecting unit for selecting/setting either “Quick Response mode” to send a response right after image data reception or “Post-processing Response mode” to send a response after image data printing is completed when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received through said network communication unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of example, and not limitation, in the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an Internet facsimile apparatus as one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for description between a direct SMTP communication mode used in the Internet facsimile apparatuses and a conventional communication mode.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a procedure of direct SMTP communication performed between a sender Internet facsimile apparatus and a receiver Internet facsimile apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a receiver Internet facsimile apparatus for receiving data transmitted by direct SMTP from a sender Internet facsimile apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the information for switching a response mode written in the header field of a mail message;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the information for switching a response mode written in the header field of a mail message;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for analyzing the header field of e-mail and switching the response mode; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a screen of an operation panel for inputting a response mode by a user.

Claims

1. An Internet facsimile apparatus, comprising: a network communication unit for communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network;a printing unit for printing image data received through said network communication unit from the external apparatus; anda response mode selecting unit for selecting/setting either “Quick Response mode” to send a response right after image data reception or “Post-processing Response mode” to send a response after image data printing is completed when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received through said network communication unit.

2. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an operation unit for allowing the user to input either “Quick Response mode” or “Post-processing Response mode”, wherein said response mode selecting unit selects/sets either “Quick Response mode” or “Post-processing Response mode” according to the input operation by the user in said operation unit.

3. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the response mode selecting unit selects/sets a response mode according to the information contained in the received data.

4. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates either “Quick Response mode” or 37 Post-processing Response mode”.

5. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates that the received data is important.

6. The Internet facsimile apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein image data is transmitted from the external apparatus after a DATA command.

7. A communication processing method, comprising the steps of: communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network;printing image data received from the external apparatus by the direct SMTP communication; andselecting/setting either “Quick Response mode” to send a response right after image data reception or “Post-processing Response mode” to send a response after image data printing is completed when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received.

8. The communication processing method as recited in claim 7, wherein “Quick Response mode” or “Post-processing Response mode” is selected/set according to the input operation by the user in an operation unit in the step of response mode selection.

9. The communication processing method as recited in claim 7, wherein a response mode is selected/set according to the information contained in the received data in the step of response mode selection.

10. The communication processing method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates either “Quick Response mode” or “Post-processing Response mode”.

11. The communication processing method as recited in claim 9, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates that the received data is important.

12. The communication processing method as recited in claim 7, wherein image data is transmitted from the external apparatus after a DATA command.

13. A communication processing program stored on a computer readable medium for making a computer execute the steps of: communicating with an external apparatus in direct SMTP via a network;printing image data received from the external apparatus by the direct SMTP communication; andselecting/setting either “Quick Response mode” to send a response right after image data reception or “Post-processing Response mode” to send a response after image data printing is completed when image data sent by direct SMTP communication is received.

14. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, for making a computer select/set either “Quick Response mode” or “Post-processing Response mode” according to the input operation by the user in an operation unit in the step of response mode selection.

15. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, for making a computer select/set a response mode according to the information contained in the received data in the step of response mode selection.

16. The communication processing program as recited in claim 15, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates either “Quick Response mode” or “Post-processing Response mode”.

17. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, wherein the information contained in the received data indicates that the received data is important.

18. The communication processing program as recited in claim 13, wherein image data is transmitted from the external apparatus after a DATA command.