Data communication apparatus, data communication system, and data communication method

Abstract

Cellular phones ( 1 a, 1 b ) adjust the brightness of an image before sending mail with an attached photograph, so that it is possible to visually verify the mail text when the mail text is overlaid over the image, which serves as a background image attached to the mail text at the receiving side, after which the mail is send to a system (in particular, to mail servers ( 33 ) and ( 63 )). The color of mail text characters is changed in responsive to the image brightness. When the cellular phones ( 1 a, 1 b ) receive an e-mail with an attached photograph, they display the mail text overlaid over the image as a background image (which has had its brightness adjusted).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A data communication apparatus comprising: 
 means for preparing a document to be sent;    means for preparing an image to be sent;    means for setting whether or not the image is to be displayed as a background image for the document on the display of a receiving-side communication apparatus receiving the document; and    means for sending, as one set of data, the document, the image and information capable of distinguishing that the image is to be displayed as a background image for the document in a case in which the vetting means sets display as a background image.    
     
     
         2 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising means for displaying the document with the image as a background image before sending the data.  
     
     
         3 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising means for processing the image so that both the document and the image are visually verifiable when the image is displayed as a background image for the document.  
     
     
         4 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the processing means is a means for correcting a brightness of the image, and 
 wherein the sending means sends a brightness-corrected image.    
     
     
         5 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the processing means is a means for correcting a brightness of the image, 
 wherein the sending means mends an image and brightness correction data.    
     
     
         6 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the processing means is a means for selecting and overlaying the image with templates having different brightness filter functions, and 
 wherein the sending means sends an image and data specifying a template.    
     
     
         7 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the processing means comprises a means chat distinguishes a brightness of the image and selects a template having a filtering function responsive to the brightness.  
     
     
         8 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising means for changing a color of characters of the document, based on a brightness of the image.  
     
     
         9 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for photographing an object, and wherein the image comprises an object image photographed by the photographing means.  
     
     
         10 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising; 
 means for receiving data;    display control means for displaying the image as a background image for the document in a case in which data received by the receiving means includes a document, an image and identification that can distinguish that an instruction is given to display the image as a background image for the document.    
     
     
         11 . A data communication apparatus capable of receiving data sent by another data communication apparatus, comprising: 
 means for receiving dolt;    display control means for displaying the image as a background image for the document in a case in which data received by the receiving means includes a document, an image and information that can distinguish that an instruction is given co display the image as a background image for the document.    
     
     
         12 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 the information that can distinguish is information indicating an instruction to display the image as a background image for the document and/or brightness-correction data of the image, and wherein 
 the display control means, in a case in which data received by the receiving means include brightness-correction data, corrects the brightness of the background image based on the brightness-correction data.  
   
     
     
         13 . The data communication apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 the information that can distinguish is information indicating an instruction to display the image as a background image for the document and/or data specifying a template,    the data communication apparatus comprises templates having different brightness filer functions, and    wherein the display control means selects and overlays the image with one of templates based on specification data, in a case in which the data received by the receiving means includes template specification data.    
     
     
         14 . The data communication apparatus according to claim  11 , further comprising; 
 a display switching means for switching from a condition in which the image is displayed as a background image for the document to a display of either the image only or the document only.    
     
     
         15 . A data communication system comprising a first data communication apparatus and a second data communication apparatus, and capable of data communication from the first data communication apparatus to the second data communication apparatus, wherein 
 the first data communication apparatus comprises: 
 means for preparing a document to be sent;  
 means for preparing an image to be sent;  
 means for setting whether or not the image is to be displayed an a background image for the document on the display of a receiving-side communication apparatus receiving the document; and  
 means for sending, as one set of data, the document, the image and information capable of distinguishing that the image is to be displayed as a background image in a case in which the setting means sets display as a background image, and wherein 
 the second data communication apparatus comprises: 
 means for receiving data;  
 display control means for displaying the image as a background image for the document in a case in which data received by the receiving means includes a document, an image and information that can distinguish that an instruction is given to display the image as a background image for the document.  
 
 
   
     
     
         16 . A data communication method whereby a document and an image are sent from a first data communication apparatus to a second communication apparatus and the image is displayed on a display of the second data communication apparatus as a background image for the document, comprising: 
 a step in the first data communication apparatus of preparing a document to be sent and an image to be used as a background image for the document;    a step in the first data communication apparatus of sending the document, the image and information that indicates the display of the image as a background image for the document;    a step in the second data communication apparatus of receiving data sent from the first data communication apparatus; and    a step in the second data communication apparatus of displaying the image an the background image for the document in a case in which the received data included the document, the image and the indicating information.    
     
     
         17 . A data communication method according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a step of displaying the image as a background image before sending the data.    
     
     
         18 . A data communication method according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a step of processing the image so that both the document and the image are visually verifiable when the image is displayed as a background image for the document.    
     
     
         19 . A data communication method according to  claim 11 , wherein 
 the image processing step is a step of correcting a brightness of the image, and    wherein the data sending step sends brightness-correction data along with the image.    
     
     
         20 . A data communication method according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 The image processing step selects and overlays the image with templates having different brightness filter functions and    wherein the data mending stop sends an image and data specifying a template.