IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,432,217
Granted Patent B2
US 9,432,217 · App. 13/046,590 · Granted Aug 30, 2016

Electronic mail communication apparatus and computer readable recording medium

Inventor: Takeshi Shibata (Anjo, JP)
Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
H04L12/5855H04L51/14H04N1/00209H04N1/00212H04N1/00244H04N1/32117H04N1/32641H04N1/32657H04N1/32678H04L12/5825H04L51/06H04N2201/0094H04N2201/3218H04N2201/3278
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,432,217
App. No.
13/046,590
Granted
Aug 30, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An email communication apparatus includes: a receiver configured to receive an email; and a transmitter configured to transmit an acknowledgement mail relating to a delivery confirmation of the email. The receiver includes: a first reception unit configured to receive a first type email through an email server, the first type email designating a mail address as a transmission destination of the acknowledgement mail, and a second reception unit configured to receive a second type email without through the email server. If the first reception unit receives the first type email, the transmitter transmits, through the email server, the acknowledgement mail in which a transmission destination is the designated email address. If the second reception unit receives the second type email, the transmitter transmits, without through the email server, the acknowledgement mail in which a transmission destination is a network address of a transmission source device.

Claims (46)

1. An email communication apparatus connected to an email server, the email communication apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the email communication apparatus to execute processes comprising:

receiving an email of a first type through an email server to which the email communication apparatus is connected from a transmission source device, the email of the first type designating a first email address as a transmission destination of a first acknowledgement email of the first type, the first type defining the email which is to be transmitted through the email server according to a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (“SMTP”);

storing the first email address in the memory in response to receiving the email of the first type;

establishing a connection between the email communication apparatus and the transmission source device not through the email server;

storing an internet protocol (“IP”) address of the transmission source device in the memory in response to establishing the connection;

receiving an email of a second type not through the email server from the transmission source device using the connection, the email of the second type designating a second email address as a transmission destination of a second acknowledgement email of the first type, the second type defining the email which is to be received or to be transmitted not through the email server according to a direct SMTP;

storing the second email address in the memory in response to receiving the email of the second type;

determining that the email of the first type is received if the IP address is not stored in the memory and that the email of the second type is received if the IP address is stored in the memory;

upon determining that the email of the first type is received, transmitting, through the email server according to the SMTP, the first acknowledgement email of the first type in response to the email of the first type, the first acknowledgement email of the first type designating the first email address stored in the memory as the transmission destination; and

upon determining that the email of the second type is received:

transmitting a specific packet to the transmission source device using the IP address stored in the memory;

determining whether the email communication apparatus receives a reply packet in response to the specific packet;

establishing a connection between the email communication apparatus and the transmission source device using the IP address stored in the memory upon determining that the email communication apparatus receives the reply packet;

in response to establishing the connection using the IP address stored in the memory, transmitting, to the transmission source device not through the email server according to the direct SMTP using the established connection, a third acknowledgement email of the second type in response to the email of the second type, wherein authentication information with which the transmission source device performs authentication of the email communication apparatus is transmitted not through the email server before the third acknowledgement email of the second type is transmitted, and upon determining that the email communication apparatus receives, from the transmission source device, information which indicates that an authentication process using the authentication information is successful, the third acknowledgement email of the second type is transmitted not through the email server; and

upon determining that the email communication apparatus does not receive the reply packet even upon determining that the email of the second type is received, transmitting, through the email server according to the SMTP, the second acknowledgement email of the first type in response to the email of the second type, the second acknowledgement email of the first type designating the second email address stored in the memory as the destination.

2. The email communication apparatus according to claim 1 , the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causing the email communication apparatus to execute processes further comprising:

notifying specific information to a user of the email communication apparatus in response to transmitting through the email server the second acknowledgement email of the first type.

3. The email communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the computer readable instructions when executed by the processor causes the email communication apparatus to execute:

erasing the first email address from the memory in response to transmitting the first acknowledgement email of the first type designating the first email address through the email server in a case that it is determined that the email of the first type is received; and

erasing the IP address and the email address from the memory in response to transmitting the third acknowledgement email of the second type not through the email server in a case that it is determined that the email of the second type is received.

4. The email communication apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a printing unit configured to print the email of the first type if the email of the first type is received or the email of the second type if the email of the second type is received.

5. The email communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

in transmitting the specific packet, the computer readable instructions when executed by the processor cause the email communication apparatus to execute transmitting the specific packet using a first combination of the IP address of the transmission source device and a first port number used in the connection, and

upon determining that the email communication apparatus receives the reply packet, the email communication apparatus uses the connection established in response to transmitting the specific packet using the first combination to transmit the third acknowledgement email of the second type not through the email server according to the direct SMTP.

6. The email communication apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

upon determining that the email communication apparatus does not receive the reply packet in response to the transmitting the specific packet using the first combination, the computer readable instructions when executed by the processor cause the email communication apparatus to execute transmitting the specific packet using a second combination of the IP address of the transmission source device and a second port number used in the connection, the second port number being different from the first port number, and

upon determining that the email communication apparatus receives the reply packet in response to the transmitting the specific packet using the second combination, the email communication apparatus uses the connection established in response to the transmitting the specific packet using the second combination to transmit the third acknowledgement email of the second type not through the email server according to the direct SMTP.

7. The email communication apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the email of the second type includes the email address as the transmission destination of the acknowledgement, an email address of the transmission source device, and an email address of the email communication apparatus.

8. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium including instructions, when executed by a processor, causing an email communication apparatus that is connected to an email server to execute processes comprising:

receiving an email of a first type through an email server to which the email communication apparatus is connected from a transmission source device, the email of the first type designating a first email address as a transmission destination of a first acknowledgement email of the first type, the first type defining the email which is to be transmitted through the email server according to a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (“SMTP”);

storing the first email address in the memory in response to receiving the email of the first type;

establishing a connection between the email communication apparatus and the transmission source device not through the email server;

storing an internet protocol (“IP”) address of the transmission source device in the memory in response to establishing the connection;

receiving an email of a second type not through the email server from the transmission source device using the connection, the email of the second type designating a second email address as a transmission destination of a second acknowledgement email of the first type, the second type defining the email which is to be received or to be transmitted not through the email server according to a direct SMTP;

storing the second email address in the memory in response to receiving the email of the second type;

determining that the email of the first type is not received if the IP address is stored in the memory and that the email of the second type is received if the IP address is stored in the memory;

upon determining that the email of the first type is received, transmitting, through the email server according to the SMTP, the first acknowledgement email of the first type in response to the email of the first type, the first acknowledgement email of the first type designating the first email address stored in the memory as the transmission destination; and

upon determining that the email of the second type is received:

transmitting a specific packet to the transmission source device using the IP address stored in the memory;

determining whether the email communication apparatus receives a reply packet in response to the specific packet;

establishing a connection between the email communication apparatus and the transmission source device using the IP address stored in the memory upon determining that the email communication apparatus receives the reply packet;

in response to establishing the connection using the IP address stored in the memory, transmitting, to the transmission source device not through the email server according to the direct SMTP using the established connection, a third acknowledgement email of the second type in response to the email of the second type, wherein authentication information with which the transmission source device performs authentication of the email communication apparatus is transmitted not through the email server before the third acknowledgement email of the second type is transmitted, and upon determining that the email communication apparatus receives, from the transmission source device, information which indicates that an authentication process using the authentication information is successful, the third acknowledgement email of the second type is transmitted not through the email server; and

upon determining that the email communication apparatus does not receive the reply packet even upon determining that the email of the second type is received, transmitting, through the email server according to the SMTP, the second acknowledgement email of the first type in response to the email of the second type, the second acknowledgment of the first type designating the second email address stored in the memory as the destination.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2011
From: SHIBATA, TAKESHI
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 025945/0018 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2010-069388 · Mar 25, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110238764A1 · Sep 29, 2011