Abstract:
To easily change the specifications of a subsidiary device without changing a system unit, an information processing apparatus includes a slave control unit for controlling a slave device and a system control unit for receiving email from an external line and storing and managing the email. In transmitting email information to the slave device, email information stored in the system control unit is temporarily stored in the slave control unit and then transmitted to the slave device, improving information transmission efficiency.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus which receives mail through a line and browses the received mail with a slave device and a control method therefor.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Along with recent developments in information communication technology, email is explosively proliferating. Email can be transmitted/received or browsed not only by PCs but also by various kinds of terminals, and consequently mail terminals in various forms have been developed.  
           [0003]    In particular, products that can send and receive email even at a cordless home telephone terminal have been developed. In addition, products capable of transmitting/receiving or browsing email not only at a master device but also at a cordless subsidiary device have been developed.  
           [0004]    A facsimile terminal is also used as an information communication device. Recently, home facsimile terminals with cordless telephones are becoming popular and replacing cordless telephones. When this facsimile terminal is applied to a mail terminal, a data output function (such as a printing function) and a data input function (such as a reading function) of the facsimile terminal are added. Mail can be output or an image to be attached to mail can be input. This improves the function of the terminal.  
           [0005]    However, the product cycle of such home information terminals is very short because the information communication technology is making very rapid progress.  
           [0006]    Therefore, in developing an information terminal with a short cycle on such a background, the product must be efficiently launched in a short period. In order to achieve such shortened launches, the product must be one that can be used in a variety of different forms by modularizing its interval components, employing unit components, or replacing the units.  
           [0007]    However, at such a terminal, when mail information managed by a master device is to be browsed at a cordless subsidiary device, the master device must transfer the mail information to the cordless subsidiary device divisionally in many pieces because the cordless subsidiary device has a small storage capacity. In short, data transmission is inefficient.  
           [0008]    In transmitting data with a large capacity from the master device to the subsidiary device, the subsidiary device must be managed. More specifically, the master device must divisionally transmit data, or the subsidiary device must estimate the necessary data capacity. This requirement impedes a terminal from using unit components.  
           [0009]    In addition, when the master device transfers mail information to the subsidiary device divisionally in many pieces, this processing increases the load on the master device and hampers processing that the master device can do alone.  
           [0010]    Furthermore, in the master and subsidiary devices with distributed functions, when data managed by the master device is to be browsed at the subsidiary device, information browsed at the subsidiary device and that stored and managed at the master device may sometimes be different.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus that can easily exchange a slave device and change its specifications even when the specifications are changed, and a control method therefor.  
           [0012]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus that can prevent any inconsistency between window display and actual status at a slave device, and a control method therefor.  
           [0013]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a view showing a schematic arrangement of a communication system CS 1  according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal arrangement of a master device  100  in the embodiment;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing steps in the operation of causing a subsidiary device to execute mail operation in the embodiment;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing steps in the operation of causing the subsidiary device to execute mail operation in the embodiment;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is an explanatory view corresponding to the operation of causing the subsidiary device  110  to execute mail operation in the embodiment; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a view showing a method of storing data in the communication system of the embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of a communication system CS 1  according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    The communication system CS 1  has a facsimile apparatus master device  100 , a facsimile apparatus subsidiary device  110 , and a line  130 .  
         [0022]    The facsimile apparatus master device  100  has a display section  101  of the master device, an operation section  102  of the master device, and a handset  103 .  
         [0023]    The line  130  connects the master device to a public line.  
         [0024]    The facsimile apparatus subsidiary device  110  has a display section  111  and an operation section  112 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal arrangement of the master device  100  in the embodiment.  
         [0026]    The master device  100  has a system unit  200  and subsidiary device unit  220 .  
         [0027]    The system unit  200  controls the master device and line. The system unit  200  has a CPU  201 , a ROM  202 , a memory  203 , an interface section  204  to the handset, a modem  205 , a line interface section  206 , an interface section  207  to the subsidiary device unit, a display section  208 , an operation section  209 , a printer section  210 , and a reading section  211 .  
         [0028]    The subsidiary device unit  220  controls sections related to the subsidiary device. The subsidiary device unit  220  has a CPU  221 , a ROM  222 , a memory  223 , an interface section  224  to the system unit  200 , and a radio control section  225  to the subsidiary device.  
         [0029]    Mail transmission/reception and management are done by the system unit  200 .  
         [0030]    In receiving mail, the CPU  201  connects the line to a mail server through the line interface section  206 . Data is transmitted/received by the modem  205  and stored in the memory  203  as newly received mail.  
         [0031]    In addition, the received mail list is changed in accordance with the stored newly received mail information.  
         [0032]    During this time, the subsidiary device unit  220  performs no operation related to mail.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIGS. 3 and 4 are flow charts showing steps in the operation of causing the subsidiary device to execute mail operation in the embodiment.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 is an explanatory view corresponding to the operation of causing the subsidiary device  110  to execute mail operation in the embodiment.  
         [0035]    When the subsidiary device  110  (S 01 ) which is displaying a standby window (D 01 ) is instructed to start mail operation (S 02 ), the subsidiary device  110  issues a mail start request to the system unit  200  through the subsidiary device unit  220  to check whether mail operation can be executed by the subsidiary device  110  and notify the subsidiary device  110  that the subsidiary device  110  should be busy for mail communication.  
         [0036]    The system unit  200  checks whether the subsidiary device  110  can execute mail operation. If the subsidiary device can do mail operation, the system unit  200  changes the status of the subsidiary device  110  to “mail communication” and returns “mail start OK” (S 03 ). If the subsidiary device  110  cannot execute mail operation, the system unit  200  returns “mail start NG” through the subsidiary device unit  220 . The subsidiary device  110  returns to the standby state.  
         [0037]    Upon receiving “mail start OK”, the subsidiary device  110  displays a mail window (D 02 ) stored in the subsidiary device  110  (S 04 ). When the window is scrolled, a scrolled window (D 03 ) is read out and displayed in the subsidiary device  110 .  
         [0038]    The user selects a displayed item using the operation section  112 . A case wherein a received mail list is selected (S 05 ) will be described here.  
         [0039]    When the received mail list is selected, the subsidiary device  110  requests the received mail list of the system unit  200  through the subsidiary device unit  220 . The system unit  200  reads out received mail list data stored in the master device  100  (S 06 ) and transfers the data to the subsidiary device unit  220 . The data is stored in the subsidiary device unit  220 .  
         [0040]    In the subsidiary device unit  220 , the received mail list data is processed to generate image data in accordance with the drawing capability of the subsidiary device  110  (S 07 ), and the image data is transferred to the subsidiary device  110 . The subsidiary device  110  draws the transferred data on the window (S 08 , D 04 ). When the window is scrolled in the subsidiary device  110  (S 09 ), the subsidiary device  110  requests a new display image of the subsidiary device unit  220 . The subsidiary device unit  220  generates image data (S 07 ) and transfers it to the subsidiary device  110 . The subsidiary device  110  draws the transferred data on the window (S 08 , D 05 ). During this time, the system unit  200  executes no operation related to mail for the subsidiary device  110 .  
         [0041]    When received mail to be displayed is selected (S 11 ), the subsidiary device  110  requests the received mail of the system unit  200  through the subsidiary device unit  220 . The system unit  200  reads out received mail data stored in the master device  100 . If the mail is unread, the status is changed to “read” (S 12 ). The received mail data is transferred to and stored in the subsidiary device unit  220 .  
         [0042]    In the subsidiary device unit  220 , the received mail data is processed to generate image data in accordance with the drawing capability of the subsidiary device  110  (S 13 ), and the image data is transferred to the subsidiary device  110 . The subsidiary device  110  draws the transferred data on the window (S 14 , D 06 ). When the window is scrolled in the subsidiary device  110  (S 15 ), the subsidiary device  110  requests a new display image of the subsidiary device unit  220 . The subsidiary device unit  220  generates image data (S 13 ) and transfers it to the subsidiary device  110 . The subsidiary device  110  draws the transferred data on the window (S 14 , D 07 ).  
         [0043]    During this time, the system unit  200  executes no operation related to mail for the subsidiary device  110 .  
         [0044]    When operation of returning received mail display to received mail list display is executed (S 16 , D 12 ), the subsidiary device  110  requests the received mail list of the system unit  200  through the subsidiary device unit  220 . The system unit  200  reads out the received mail list data stored in the master device  100  (S 06 ) and transfers the data to the subsidiary device unit  220 . The data is stored in the subsidiary device unit  220 . Image data is generated (S 07 ) and the transferred to the subsidiary device  110 . The subsidiary device  110  draws the transferred data on the window (S 08 , D 13 ).  
         [0045]    Since the system unit  200  reads out the received mail list data whose status has already been changed, the subsidiary device  110  can always display the latest correct data.  
         [0046]    When an end of mail operation of the subsidiary device  110  is selected (S 10 , S 17 ), the subsidiary device  110  notifies the system unit  200  of the end of mail through the subsidiary device unit  220 . The system unit  200  changes the status of the subsidiary device  110  to “standby” and returns “standby OK” to the subsidiary device  110  (S 18 ). Upon receiving “subsidiary device standby OK”, the subsidiary device  110  displays the standby window (D 01 ) and ends email operation (S 19 ).  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 6 is a view showing a method of storing data in the communication system of the embodiment.  
         [0048]    In the communication system, mail is stored in the memory  203  of the master device system unit  200  and managed.  
         [0049]    To manage mail, a list file in which information of each mail item is described is prepared as well as mail text. The list file is formed from the status, destination/transmission source, subject, date, and the like of each mail item. To refer to each mail text, the address of storage position or size described in the list is used.  
         [0050]    According to the embodiment, mail data is transferred from the system unit  200  to the subsidiary device unit  220 . Until another data is required, display window generation or display operation is done only between the subsidiary device unit  220  and the subsidiary device  110 . During this time, the system unit  200  does not operate. For this reason, even when the specifications of the subsidiary device  110  are changed, the system unit  200  need not be changed. Hence, the specifications can easily be adapted as required.  
         [0051]    According to the embodiment, the interface related to subsidiary device mail is separated from those for the remaining operations. Hence, status management or event management is easy.  
         [0052]    According to the embodiment, specific mail information can be managed in a closed world of a slave terminal and slave terminal control unit. The slave terminal control unit can be clearly separated from the main body. Hence, a flexible product can be developed.  
         [0053]    Additional advantages also accrue from the above-described flexible arrangement. Thus, according to the embodiment, any inconsistency between window display and actual status on the subsidiary device side can be prevented.  
         [0054]    Moreover, since the status is managed at one section, management is easy.  
         [0055]    The subsidiary device  110  may have a telephone function or may be a device dedicated to mail browsing. The subsidiary device  110  only needs to be accommodated in the master device  100 .  
         [0056]    The master device  100  only needs to receive email through the line and accommodate the subsidiary device.  
         [0057]    As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.