IMAGE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR IMAGE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

Abstract

An image communication apparatus that performs an e-mail communication includes an e-mail transmission unit that transmits an e-mail to which an image file is attached, an e-mail reception unit, a display unit, a communication management unit that manages communication management information of the e-mail transmitted, an information attachment unit that attaches acknowledgement request information to the e-mail to be transmitted, the acknowledgement request information requesting, for a destination of the e-mail, a response mail that indicates an acknowledgement of the e-mail, and an information updating unit that updates, as the communication management information, header information that includes acknowledgement information according to the response mail. The header information is displayed on the display unit as the communication management information.

Claims

1. An image communication apparatus that performs an e-mail communication, comprising: an e-mail transmission unit that transmits an e-mail to which an image file is attached; an e-mail reception unit that receives an e-mail; a display unit that displays information about an e-mail; a communication management unit that manages communication management information of the e-mail transmitted; an information attachment unit that attaches acknowledgement request information to the e-mail to be transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit, the acknowledgement request information requesting, for a destination of the e-mail, a response mail that indicates an acknowledgement of the e-mail; and an information updating unit that updates, as the communication management information, header information that includes acknowledgement information according to the response mail, wherein the header information is displayed on the display unit as the communication management information.

2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement request information is information requesting Message Disposition Notification.

3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the header information is notified by adding at least one of a Japanese notation or a description of a wording.

4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a communication status display screen indicating a communication status of the response mail is displayed on the display unit, and when the image communication apparatus is waiting for reception of the response mail, a state that a delivery of the response mail is being checked is displayed on the communication status display screen.

5. The image communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein when the response mail is not received within a predetermined time, the state that the delivery of the response mail is being checked is displayed on the communication status display screen.

6. The image communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a communication status display screen indicating a communication status of the response mail is displayed on the display unit, header information indicating the communication status is displayed on the communication status display screen, and when the header information is selectively operated, the Japanese notation or the description of the wording of the header information is further displayed.

7. A control method for an image communication apparatus that performs an e-mail communication and that includes an e-mail transmission unit that transmits an e-mail to which an image file is attached, an e-mail reception unit that receives an e-mail, and a display unit that displays information about an e-mail, the control method comprising: managing communication management information of the e-mail transmitted; attaching acknowledgement request information to the e-mail to be transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit, the acknowledgement request information requesting, for a destination of the e-mail, a response mail that indicates an acknowledgement of the e-mail; and updating, as the communication management information, header information that includes acknowledgement information according to the response mail, wherein the header information is displayed on the display unit as the communication management information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image communication apparatus according to a first embodiment;

[0010] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a state of communicating an e-mail by the image communication apparatus;

[0011] FIG. 3 is an illustration of part of an acknowledgement mail to be notified to the image communication apparatus;

[0012] FIG. 4 is an illustration of part of an acknowledgement mail to be notified to an image communication apparatus according to a second embodiment;

[0013] FIG. 5A is an illustration of an example of a communication status display screen that displays a communication state when an image communication apparatus according to a third embodiment is waiting for reception of a response mail with respect to an e-mail transmitted by the image communication apparatus;

[0014] FIG. 5B is an illustration of an example of a communication status display screen that displays a communication state when timeout has occurred while waiting for reception of the response mail with respect to the e-mail transmitted by the image communication apparatus according to the third embodiment;

[0015] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an example of a communication status display screen that displays a communication state of a response mail with respect to an e-mail transmitted by an image communication apparatus according to a fourth embodiment; and

[0016] FIG. 7 is an illustration of an example in which a pop image is displayed in addition to the communication status display screen in the image communication apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

[0017] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] FIG. 1 is an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image communication apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is an illustration of a state of communicating an e-mail by the image communication apparatus, and FIG. 3 is an illustration of part of an acknowledgement mail to be notified to the image communication apparatus.

[0019] The image communication apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment is, as illustrated in FIG. 1, performs e-mail communication and includes an e-mail transmission unit 120 that transmits an e-mail to which an image file is attached, an e-mail reception unit 130 that receives an e-mail, and a display unit 140 capable of displaying communication result and the like of an e-mail. The image communication apparatus 10 further includes a communication management unit 160 that manages communication management information of the e-mail transmitted (hereinafter referred to as transmission e-mail), an information attachment unit 170 that attaches acknowledgement request information to the e-mail to be transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit 120, the acknowledgement request information requesting, for a destination of the e-mail, a response mail (acknowledgement mail) that indicates an acknowledgement of the e-mail, and an information updating unit 180 that updates, as the communication management information, header information that includes acknowledgement information according to the response mail. A controller 110 controls the display unit 140 to display the header information as it is as communication management information.

[0020] The communication management unit 160 includes a storage unit 161 which stores communication management information 1611, acknowledgement request information 1612, header information 1613, and the like for the e-mail.

[0021] Here, the acknowledgement request information 1612 indicates that the response mail notifying the acknowledgement is requested.

[0022] When the mail communication is performed between the image communication apparatuses through the Internet fax, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a transmission e-mail 101 is transmitted from an image communication apparatus 11 (10) on the mail transmission side to an image communication apparatus 12 (10) on the mail reception side. When receiving the transmission e-mail 101, the image communication apparatus 12 on the mail reception side transmits a response mail 102 indicating that the transmission e-mail 101 has been received to the image communication apparatus 11 on the mail transmission side.

[0023] The response mail 102 includes acknowledgement information 1030 disposition-type: processed and disposition-modifier: error as reception status of the image communication apparatus 12 on the mail reception side.

[0024] When receiving the response mail 102, the image communication apparatus 11 on the mail transmission side is notified that a job status 1101 of the transmission e-mail 101 is disposition-type: processed and disposition-modifier: error from the acknowledgement information 1030.

[0025] Here, the header information of the response mail 102 will be described by way of examples.

[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 3, acknowledgement information 1031 about the transmission e-mail is added to header information 1613 of the response mail 102. In the acknowledgement information 1031, dispatched is displayed as transmission e-mail opening information 1032.

[0027] In the first embodiment, as described above, the header information 1613 is displayed on the display unit 140 and the acknowledgement information 1031 included in the response mail 102 is displayed as it is, and thus the communication state of the transmission e-mail 101 may be accurately notified to the user.

[0028] With this configuration, according to the first embodiment, the image communication apparatus 10 includes an e-mail transmission unit 120, an e-mail reception unit 130, and a display unit 140, further includes a communication management unit 160, an information attachment unit 170, and an information updating unit 180, and the header information 1613 including the acknowledgement information 1031 included in the response mail 102 is displayed as it is on the display unit 140 as the communication management information. Thus, the user may be accurately notified of the delivery status of the transmission e-mail 101 in the image communication apparatus on the destination side (reception side).

Second Embodiment

[0029] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0030] For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are given to configurations having the same functions as the first embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0031] FIG. 4 is an illustration of part of an acknowledgement mail to be notified to the image communication apparatus according to a second embodiment.

[0032] In the second embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the image communication apparatus 10 performs an e-mail communication through the Internet fax, a response mail 102 with respect to the transmission e-mail 101 is received, and communication management information is displayed on the display unit 140 as header information, a description of a wording is displayed in Japanese notation in order that the user may easily understand.

[0033] In the second embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, in addition to the acknowledgement information 1031 of the response mail 102 displayed together with the header information 1613, the Japanese translation description information 200 that describes the wording used in the acknowledgement information 1031 is displayed on the display unit 140.

[0034] As the Japanese translation description information 200, first Japanese translation description information 201 corresponding to Disposition-type and second Japanese translation description information 202 corresponding to Disposition-modifier are displayed.

[0035] With respect to information of the wordings displayed, dispatched, processed, deleted, denied, and failed used in Disposition-type, the first Japanese translation description information 201 displays Japanese translation description message such as DISPLAYED, TRANSMITTED SOMEWHERE BEFORE DISPLAY, PROCESSED WITHOUT BEING DISPLAYED, DELETED, DENIED, and FAILED representing the meaning of each of the wordings.

[0036] With respect to information of the wordings error, warning, superseded, expired, and mailbox-terminated used in Disposition-modifier, the second Japanese translation description information 202 displays Japanese translation description message such as ERROR HAS OCCURRED, MESSAGE IS PROCESSED BUT EXCEPTION STATE HAS OCCURRED, MESSAGE IS OUT OF DATE, MESSAGE IS DELETED, and ALL MESSAGES ARE DELETED representing the meaning of each of the wordings.

[0037] With this configuration, according to the second embodiment, when the header information 1613 is displayed on the display unit 140 in the image communication apparatus 10, in addition to the acknowledgement information 1031, Japanese translation description information 200 that describes the wording in Japanese notation is displayed, and thus the communication state of the transmission e-mail 101 is easily understood by the user.

Third Embodiment

[0038] Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0039] For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are given to configurations having the same functions as the first embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0040] FIG. 5A is an illustration of an example of a communication status display screen that displays a communication state when an image communication apparatus according to the third embodiment is waiting for reception of a response mail with respect to an e-mail transmitted by the image communication apparatus. FIG. 5B is an illustration of an example of a communication status display screen that displays the communication state when timeout has occurred while waiting for reception of the response mail with respect to the e-mail transmitted by the image communication apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0041] According to the third embodiment, in the image communication apparatus 10, when the response mail with respect to the transmitted e-mail is in the communication state, a communication status display screen 301 indicating the communication status of the response mail is displayed on the display unit 140, and the communication state of the response mail is displayed on the communication status display screen 301.

[0042] According to the third embodiment, when the image communication apparatus 10 is waiting for reception of the response mail 102, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, a first communication status display screen 301 indicating the status of waiting for reception of response mail is displayed on the display unit 140.

[0043] A job status 310 is displayed and the communication status of each job for a corresponding destination is displayed on the first communication status display screen 301. In addition, respective functions may be selected by a display print key 321, a scanner key 322, a fax key 323, and an Internet fax key 324.

[0044] checking delivery is displayed with respect to the job status 311 of the Internet fax when waiting for the reception of the response mail.

[0045] Meanwhile, in the image communication apparatus 10, when timeout has occurred while waiting for reception of the response mail 102, as illustrated in FIG. 5B, a second communication status display screen 302 indicating the status of reception timeout of response mail is displayed on the display unit 140.

[0046] Likewise the first communication status display screen 301, the job status 310 is displayed, and the display print key 321, the scanner key 322, the fax key 323, and the Internet fax key 324 are displayed on the second communication status display screen 302.

[0047] checking delivery is displayed with respect to the job status 312 of the Internet fax when timeout has occurred while waiting for the reception of the response mail.

[0048] In this way, even if timeout has occurred while waiting for reception of the response mail, checking delivery is displayed, and therefore, in a case in which there is a time lag in reception of the response mail, the correct status is displayed when the job status is updated next time.

[0049] With this configuration, according to the third embodiment, when the response mail with respect to the transmitted e-mail is in the communication state, the image communication apparatus 10 displays the communication status display screen 301 on the display unit 140, and the communication state of the response mail is displayed on the communication status display screen 301, and in a case in which the image communication apparatus 10 has not received the response mail 102 within a predetermined time, reception of the response mail 102 is being checked with respect to the job status of Internet fax, and therefore, in a case in which there is a time lag in reception of the response mail 102, the correct status is displayed when the job status is updated next time, and the user is notified accurately of the delivery status of the transmission e-mail 101.

Fourth Embodiment

[0050] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0051] For convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals are given to configurations having the same functions as the first embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0052] FIG. 6 is an illustration of an example of a communication status display screen that displays a communication state of a response mail with respect to an e-mail transmitted by the image communication apparatus according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 7 is an illustration of an example in which a pop image is displayed in addition to the communication status display screen in the image communication apparatus.

[0053] In the fourth embodiment, in the image communication apparatus 10, when the response mail with respect to the transmitted e-mail is in the communication state, the display unit 140 displays the communication status display screen 401 indicating the communication status of the response mail, and the header information indicating the communication status is displayed on the communication status display screen 401. In addition, when the header information is selectively operated, the Japanese notation of the header information or a description of a wording is further displayed.

[0054] In the fourth embodiment, displayed is displayed with respect to header information 411 indicating the job status of the Internet fax when waiting for the reception of the response mail.

[0055] When the header information 411 on the communication status display screen 401 is touch-operated, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a pop image 410 including the Japanese notation of the header information 411 is displayed.

[0056] With this configuration, according to the fourth embodiment, in the image communication apparatus 10, when the response mail with respect to the transmitted e-mail is in the communication state, the communication status display screen 401 is displayed on the display unit 140, and the header information 411 indicating the communication status is displayed on the communication status display screen 401, and the header information 411 is touched, so that the Japanese notation of the header information is displayed by the pop image 410, as a result, a user may easily check the communication state of the response mail.

[0057] Detailed information on the header information according to the embodiments described above may be stored in the image communication apparatus 10, or may be acquired from an external server or information over the Internet.

[0058] As described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications may be realized within the scope of the claims. It will be apparent that those skilled in the art can come up with various kinds of alterations or modifications within the scope described in the claims, that is, embodiments obtained by appropriately combining modified technical means without departing from the scope of the present disclosure are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0059] The present disclosure contains subject matter related to that disclosed in Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2018-116404 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Jun. 19, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0060] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.