Network facsimile apparatus capable of E-mail communications

An electronic communications system, comprising:

• a plurality of facsimile terminals connected to a public switched telephone network, including a sending facsimile terminal;
• and
• a plurality of domains each including:
• a plurality of client terminals connected each other via a local area network, including a destination client terminal;
• and
• at least one data terminal, including a relaying data terminal, connected to said plurality of client terminals via the local area network and to the plurality of facsimile terminals via the public switched telephone network;
• and wherein at least said relaying data terminal, includes:
• a first sub-address generator configured to generate a sub-address based on an operator entered electronic mail address and a predetermined functional operation method using a predetermined reference value;
• a data table generator configured to generate an address conversion table that correlates a plurality of sub-addresses generated by said first sub-address generator to corresponding electronic mail addresses such that each of said plurality of sub-addresses is uniquely coupled with a corresponding electronic mail address that is uniquely assigned to said destination client terminal;
• a memory storing said address conversion table;
• and
• a terminal controller that controls the transmission of said predetermined reference value to said sending facsimile terminal upon receiving an incoming call from said sending facsimile terminal, that checks an incoming call containing facsimile image information and a sub-address representing said destination client terminal, and upon receiving such incoming facsimile image information and sub-address, said controller determines an electronic mail address corresponding to said received sub-address using said address conversion table and relays said facsimile image information to said destination client terminal at said determined electronic mail address, and said controller examines whether said sub-address generated by said first sub-address generator is equal to any one listed in said address conversion table, and when said sub-address generated by said first sub-address generator is equal to one listed in said address conversion table, said controller changes said predetermined reference value to recalculate said sub-address, such that said newly generated sub-address is different from any one listed in said address conversion table;
• and
• wherein at least said sending facsimile terminal includes:
• a second sub-address generator configured to generate a sub-address based on a operator entered electronic mail address and said predetermined functional operation method using said reference value;
• and
• a facsimile controller controlling the transmission of facsimile image information and the sub-address generated by said second sub-address generator to said relaying data terminal.

An electronic communications system, comprising:

• a sending facsimile terminal connected to a public switched telephone network;
• and
• a plurality of domains each including:
• at least a destination client terminal connected to a local area network;
• and
• at least a relaying data terminal connected to said destination client terminal via the local area network and to the sending facsimile terminal via the public switched telephone network;
• wherein said relaying data terminal includes:
• first sub-address generating means for generating a sub-address based on an electronic mail address;
• data table generating means for generating an address conversion table that correlates a plurality of sub-addresses generated by said first sub-address generating means to corresponding electronic mail addresses such that each of said plurality of sub-addresses is uniquely coupled with a corresponding electronic mail address that is uniquely assigned to said destination client terminal;
• data storing means for storing said address conversion table;
• and
• terminal controlling means for checking an incoming call from one of said plurality of facsimile machines containing facsimile image information and a sub-address representing said destination client terminal, and upon receiving such incoming facsimile image information and sub-address said controlling means determines an electronic mail address corresponding to said sub-address using said address conversion table and relays said facsimile image information to said destination client terminal at said determined electronic mail address;
• and
• wherein said sending facsimile terminal includes:
• second sub-address generating means for generating a sub-address based on an electronic mail address for said destination client terminal;
• and
• facsimile controlling means for controlling transmission of facsimile image information and the sub-address generated by said second sub-address generating means to said relaying data terminal.

An electronic communications system, comprising:

• a plurality of facsimile terminals connected to a public switched telephone network, including a sending facsimile terminal;
• and
• a plurality of domains each including:
• a plurality of client terminal connected each other via a local area network, including a destination client terminal;
• and
• at least one data terminal, including a relaying data terminal, connected to said plurality of client terminals via the local area network and to the plurality of facsimile terminals via the public switched telephone network;
• wherein at least said relaying data terminal includes:
• first sub-address generating means for generating a sub-address based on an operator entered electronic mail address and a predetermined functional operation method using a predetermined reference value;
• data table generating means for generating an address conversion table that correlates a plurality of sub-addresses generated by said first sub-address generating means to corresponding electronic mail addresses such that each of said plurality of sub-addresses is uniquely coupled with a corresponding electronic mail address that is uniquely assigned to said destination client terminal;
• data storing means for storing said address conversion table;
• and
• terminal controlling means for controlling transmission of said predetermined reference value to said sending facsimile terminal upon receiving an incoming call from said sending facsimile terminal, for checking an incoming call containing facsimile image information and a sub-address representing said destination client terminal, and upon receiving such incoming facsimile image information and sub-address said controlling means determines an electronic mail address corresponding to said received sub-address using said address conversion table and relays said facsimile image information to said destination client terminal at said determined electronic mail address, and said controlling means examines whether said sub-address generated by said first sub-address generating means is equal to any one listed in said address conversion table, and when said sub-address generated by said first sub-address generating means is equal to one listed in said address conversion table, said controlling means changes said predetermined reference value to recalculate said sub-address such that said newly generated sub-address is different from any one listed in said address conversion table;
• and
• wherein at least said sending facsimile terminal includes:
• second sub-address generating means for generating a sub-address based on an operator entered electronic mail address and a predetermined functional operation method using said reference value;
• and
• facsimile controlling means for controlling transmission of facsimile image information and the sub-address generated by said second sub-address generating means to said relaying data terminal.

A method of linking an entry of electronic mail address at a sending facsimile terminal and an electronic mail address of a destination client terminal via a relaying data terminal for facsimile communication to said destination client terminal, comprising:

• providing a plurality of facsimile terminals connected to a public switched telephone network, said plurality of facsimile terminals including said sending facsimile terminal, wherein said sending facsimile terminal converts an electronic mail address of said destination client terminal into a sub-address assigned to said destination client terminal, said sub-address being based on said electronic mail address of said destination client terminal and a predetermined functional operation program;
• providing at least one domain having at least said destination client terminal and at least said relaying data terminal, said relaying terminal being connected to said destination client terminal via a local area network and to said plurality of facsimile terminals via the public switched telephone network;
• sending the facsimile image information and the sub-address to said relaying data terminal;
• and
• converting said sub-address at said relaying data terminal into an electronic mail address of said destination client terminal, said converting operation including:
• providing said relaying data terminal with an address conversion table that correlates a plurality of sub-addresses to a corresponding plurality of electronic mail addresses, wherein each of said plurality of sub-addresses is uniquely coupled with said corresponding electronic mail address, and each electronic mail address is uniquely assigned to a single client terminal;
• and
• determining for each incoming communication with facsimile image information and a sub-address an electronic mail address based on said address conversion table;
• and
• transferring said facsimile image information to said destination client terminal at said determined electronic mail address.