Method and apparatus of performing a memory saving operation in an electronic communications system

A data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• a first communications mechanism exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• a second communications mechanism exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• a memory that stores arbitrary image information required to be sent at a designated time to at least one of said facsimile terminals through said telephone network using said second communications mechanism;
• a first controller that generates electronic mail which includes said arbitrary image information stored in said memory, sends said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications mechanism, and erases said arbitrary image information from said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• a second controller that retrieves said electronic mail from said mail server when said designated time has passed, obtains said arbitrary image information included in said electronic mail, and sends said arbitrary image information to said at least one of said facsimile terminals.

A data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• a first communications mechanism exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• a second communications mechanism exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• a memory that stores arbitrary information;
• a first controller that generates electronic mail which includes said arbitrary information stored in said memory, sends said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications mechanism, and erases said arbitrary information from said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• a second controller that retrieves said electronic mail from said mail server upon a request by an operator or by an operation being performed on said data terminal apparatus, obtains said arbitrary information included in said electronic mail, and provides said arbitrary information to said operator or said operation.

A data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• first communications means for exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• second communications means for exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• memory means for storing said image information received from one of said facsimile terminals through said telephone network using said second communications means;
• printer means for printing said image information;
• first controlling means for generating electronic mail which includes said image information when said printer means is in an inoperative condition, sending said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications means, and erasing said image information from said memory means, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• second controlling means for retrieving said electronic mail from said mail server when said printer means recovers from said inoperative condition and instructing said printer means to reproduce said image information included in said electronic mail.

A data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• first communications means for exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• second communications means for exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• memory means for storing arbitrary image information required to be sent at a designated time to at least one of said facsimile terminals through said telephone network using said second communications means;
• first controlling means for generating electronic mail which includes said arbitrary image information stored in said memory means, sending said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications means, and erasing said arbitrary image information from said memory means, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• second controlling means for retrieving said electronic mail from said mail server when said designated time has passed, obtaining said arbitrary image information included in said electronic mail, and sending said arbitrary image information to said at least one of said facsimile terminals.

A data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• first communications means for exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• second communications means for exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• memory means for storing arbitrary information;
• first controlling means for generating electronic mail which includes said arbitrary information stored in said memory means, sending said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications means, and erasing said arbitrary information from said memory means, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• second controlling means for retrieving said electronic mail from said mail server upon a request by an operator or by an operation being performed on said data terminal apparatus, obtaining said arbitrary information included in said electronic mail, and providing said arbitrary information to said operator or said operation.

A memory saving method for a data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• receiving image information from a facsimile terminal through said telephone network:
• storing said image information received from said facsimile terminal;
• checking whether a printer of said data terminal apparatus is in an operative condition;
• generating electronic mail which includes said image information when said printer is in an inoperative condition, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• sending said electronic mail to a mail server on said local area network;
• erasing said image information from said memory;
• checking whether said printer of said data terminal apparatus recovers from said inoperative condition;
• retrieving said electronic mail from said mail server when said printer recovers from said inoperative condition;
• and
• instructing said printer to reproduce said image information included in said electronic mail.

A method of a data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• inputting a designated-time transmission instruction for transmitting arbitrary image information;
• storing said arbitrary image information;
• generating electronic mail which includes said arbitrary image information stored in said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• sending said electronic mail to a mail server on said local area network;
• erasing said arbitrary image information from said memory means;
• checking whether said designated time has passed;
• retrieving said electronic mail from said mail server when said designated time has passed;
• obtaining said arbitrary image information included in said electronic mail;
• and
• sending said arbitrary image information to said at least one of said facsimile terminals.

A method of a data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, comprising:

• inputting arbitrary information;
• storing said arbitrary information;
• generating electronic mail which includes said arbitrary information stored in said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• sending said electronic mail to a mail server on said local area network;
• erasing said arbitrary information from said memory;
• retrieving said electronic mail from said mail server upon a request by an operator or by an operation being performed on said data terminal apparatus;
• obtaining said arbitrary information included in said electronic mail;
• and
• providing said arbitrary information to said operator or said operation.

An electronic communications system, comprising:

• a data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, said data terminal apparatus comprising:
• a first communications mechanism exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• a second communications mechanism exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• a memory that stores said image information received from one of said facsimile terminals through said telephone network using said second communications mechanism;
• a printer that reproduces said image information;
• a first controller that generates electronic mail which includes said image information when said printer is in an inoperative condition, sends said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications mechanism, and erases said image information from said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• a second controller that retrieves said electronic mail from said mail server when said printer recovers from said inoperative condition and instructs said printer to reproduce said image information included in said electronic mail.

An electronic communications system, comprising:

• a data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, said data terminal apparatus comprising:
• a first communications mechanism exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• a second communications mechanism exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• a memory that stores arbitrary image information required to be sent at a designated time to at least one of said facsimile terminals through said telephone network using said second communications mechanism;
• a first controller that generates electronic mail which includes said arbitrary image information stored in said memory, sends said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications mechanism, and erases said arbitrary image information from said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• a second controller that retrieves said electronic mail from said mail server when said designated time has passed, obtains said arbitrary image information included in said electronic mail, and sends said arbitrary image information to said at least one of said facsimile terminals.

An electronic communications system, comprising:

• a data terminal apparatus coupled to a local area network and to a telephone network, said data terminal apparatus comprising:
• a first communications mechanism exchanging electronic mail with other data terminals and a mail server on said local area network;
• a second communications mechanism exchanging image information with facsimile terminals on said telephone network;
• a memory that stores arbitrary information;
• a first controller that generates electronic mail which includes said arbitrary information stored in said memory, sends said electronic mail to said mail server through said local area network using said first communications mechanism, and erases said arbitrary information from said memory, wherein at least a source address and a destination address of said electronic mail correspond to an electronic mail address of said data terminal apparatus;
• and
• a second controller that retrieves said electronic mail from said mail server upon a request by an operator or by an operation being performed on said data terminal apparatus, obtains said arbitrary information included in said electronic mail, and provides said arbitrary information to said operator or said operation.