Communication device having the capability of performing information exchange between a facsimile medium and an electronic information medium such as an e-mail medium

Abstract

A communication device allows a user to get access from the outside via an external public line to obtain e-mail data stored in a device connected to an internal system via a computer network such as a LAN without causing a reduction in security. More specifically, the communication device is connected to a LAN via a LAN I/F and also connected to the public line via a line I/F. If the communication device receives a remote operation command via the public line, a CPU of the communication device gets access to a post office of an e-mail server so as to get e-mail data in accordance with the remote operation command. The obtained e-mail data is converted to facsimile image data and transmitted by means of facsimile to a specified destination.

1 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A communication device comprising:
 a storage unit configured to store a facsimile destination, which is input by an authenticated user;   a receiving unit configured to receive e-mail data;   a determination unit configured to determine whether the e-mail data received by the receiving unit is convertible into image data;   a conversion unit configured to convert the e-mail data, which is received by the receiving unit and determined to be convertible by the determination unit, into image data; and   a transmitting unit configured to transmit the image data converted from the e-mail data, to the facsimile destination stored in the storage unit.   
     
     
         30 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , wherein the storage unit stores the facsimile destination before the receiving unit receives the e-mail data. 
     
     
         31 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , wherein the determination unit determines whether the received e-mail data is convertible into image data, based on a “Content-type” description which is included in the e-mail data received by the receiving unit. 
     
     
         32 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , wherein the determination unit determines that the received e-mail data is convertible into image data, in a case where a file associated with the received e-mail data is convertible at the communication device. 
     
     
         33 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , wherein the image data is facsimile image data. 
     
     
         34 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , wherein the receiving unit receives the e-mail data in accordance with a procedure defined in a POP3 (Post Office Protocol Ver. 3) protocol. 
     
     
         35 . The communication device according to  claim 34 , wherein the storage unit stores post office names. 
     
     
         36 . The communication device according to  claim 35 , further comprising a designating unit configured to designate one of the post office names,
 wherein the receiving unit receives the e-mail data from a post office having the post office name designated by the designating unit.   
     
     
         37 . The communication device according to  claim 36 , wherein the post office is a mail box. 
     
     
         38 . The communication device according to  claim 37 , wherein at least one of the post office names corresponds to the facsimile destination,
 wherein the transmitting unit transmits the image data to the facsimile destination in a case where the designating unit designates a post office name corresponding to the facsimile destination.   
     
     
         39 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , further comprising an authentication unit configured to authenticate a user. 
     
     
         40 . The communication device according to  claim 29 , wherein the storage unit further stores a default facsimile destination,
 wherein the transmitting unit transmits the image data to the facsimile destination or the default facsimile destination.   
     
     
         41 . A communication method comprising:
 a storage step of storing a facsimile destination, which is input by an authenticated user;   a receiving step of receiving e-mail data;   a determination step of determining whether the e-mail data received in the receiving step is convertible into image data;   a conversion step of converting the e-mail data, which is received in the receiving step and determined to be convertible in the determination step, into image data; and   a transmitting step of transmitting the image data converted from the e-mail data, to the facsimile destination stored in the storage step.   
     
     
         42 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to perform a communication method comprising:
 a storage step of storing a facsimile destination, which is input by an authenticated user;   a receiving step of receiving e-mail data;   a determination step of determining whether the e-mail data received in the receiving step is convertible into image data;   a conversion step of converting the e-mail data, which is received in the receiving step and determined to be convertible in the determination step, into image data; and   a transmitting step of transmitting the image data converted from the e-mail data, to the facsimile destination stored in the storage step.