Patent ID: 6417930
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A network facsimile apparatus, comprising:an electronic mail receiver for receiving electronic mail via a local area network and the Internet; a facsimile transmitter for transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image information and a facsimile data file through facsimile communications procedures via a public switched telephone network; a mail analyzer for determining whether electronic mail received through said electronic mail receiver is relay transmission mail and for determining whether received relay transmission mail includes text contents by examining header information indicated in said received relay transmission mail when said received electronic mail is determined to be relay transmission mail and for reading a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine from said received relay transmission mail; and a relay transmission controller for converting text contents included in said received electronic mail into facsimile image information in accordance with an encoding method indicated in said header information when said mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is relay transmission mail and it is determined that the received relay transmission mail includes text contents and for converting non-text contents included in said received electronic mail into a facsimile transfer data file when said mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is relay transmission mail and determines that the received relay transmission mail includes non-text contents and for transmitting at least one of said facsimile image information and said facsimile transfer data file through said facsimile transmitter to said destination facsimile machine having said telephone number read by said mail analyzer from said received relay transmission mail.