Apparatus for transmitting image, method of transmitting image, computer-readable program and computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

An image transmitting apparatus which transmits an image to a predetermined transmission destination. The apparatus includes an input unit which inputs an image to be transmitted, an authentication unit which authenticates a user by user authentication, a user information acquisition unit which obtains transmission destination information associated with the user if the authentication by the authentication unit is successful, a transmission destination designation unit which designates a transmission destination to which the image should be transmitted, a determination unit which determines, according to details of the transmission destination designated by the transmission destination designation unit, whether or not the image should be transmitted to the transmission designation associated with the user, and a transmission unit which transmits the image based on the result of determination made by the determination unit.

1 . An image transmitting apparatus which transmits an image to a predetermined transmission destination, the apparatus comprising: 
 an input unit arranged to input an image to be transmitted;    an authentication unit arranged to authenticate a user by user authentication;    a user information acquisition unit arranged to obtain transmission destination information associated with the user if the authentication by the authentication unit is successful;    a transmission destination designation unit arranged to designate a transmission destination to which the image should be transmitted;    a determination unit arranged to determine, according to details of the transmission destination designated by the transmission destination designation unit, whether or not the image should be transmitted to the transmission designation associated with the user; and    a transmission unit arranged to transmit the image based on the result of determination made by the determination unit.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission destination information associated with the user designates a personal address of the user successful in authentication.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission destination information associated with the user designates an address set for a group to which the user successful in authentication belongs.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, if no transmission destination is designated by the transmission destination designation unit, the determination unit determines transmission to the transmission destination associated with the user, and the transmission unit transmits the image only to the transmission destination associated with the user.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, only if transmission to the user itself is designated by the transmission destination designation unit, the determination unit determines transmission to the transmission destination associated with the user, and the transmission unit transmits the image to the transmission destination associated with the user.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, if transmission to the user itself is preset, the determination unit determines transmission to the transmission destination associated with the user as well as to the transmission destination designated by the transmission destination designation unit, and the transmission unit transmits the image to the transmission destination designated and the transmission destination associated with the user.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the transmission unit is an electronic mail transmission unit, and the transmission destination associated with the user is set to a broadcast destination or an anonymous broadcast destination.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the user information acquisition unit displays a button arranged to set an electronic mail address of the user successful in authentication performed by the authentication unit as a transmission destination, and obtains the electronic mail address of the user when the button is selected.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reading unit arranged to read an image to be transmitted and a start key arranged to start the operation of the reading unit, wherein the transmission unit transmits the image when the start key is pressed.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a start key prohibition unit arranged to prohibit the operation of the start key when the transmission destination is not designated, wherein the start key prohibition unit cancels its prohibition operation if the button is pressed while the prohibition operation is being performed.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the electronic mail address is an electronic mail address uniquely assigned to the image transmitting apparatus.  
   
   
       12 . An image transmitting apparatus which transmits an image to a predetermined transmission destination, the apparatus comprising: 
 an input unit arranged to input an image to be transmitted;    an administrator authentication unit arranged to authenticate administrator authority by user authentication;    a transmission destination information setting unit arranged to set transmission destination information if the authentication by the administrator authentication unit is successful;    a transmission destination designation unit arranged to designate a transmission destination to which the image should be transmitted; and    a transmission unit arranged to transmit the image to the transmission destination designated by the transmission destination designation unit and to a transmission destination according to the transmission destination information set by the transmission destination information setting unit.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a user authentication unit arranged to authenticate a user right by user authentication, wherein the transmission unit obtains a transmission destination associated with the user according to the transmission destination information set by the transmission destination information setting unit and transmits the image to the transmission destination.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the transmission destination associated with the user is at least one of transmission destinations in a group to which the user belongs.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the transmission unit is an electronic mail transmission unit, and the transmission destination according to the transmission destination information set by the transmission destination information setting unit is input to a broadcast destination or an anonymous broadcast destination.  
   
   
       16 . An image transmitting method in which an image is transmitted to a predetermined transmission destination, the method comprising: 
 an inputting step of inputting an image to be transmitted;    an authentication step of authenticating a user by user authentication;    a user information acquisition step of obtaining transmission destination information associated with the user if the authentication in the authentication step is successful;    a transmission destination designation step of designating a transmission destination to which the image should be transmitted;    a determination step of determining, according to details of the transmission destination designated in the transmission destination designation step, whether or not the image should be transmitted to the transmission designation associated with the user; and    a transmission step of transmitting the image based on the result of determination made by the determination unit.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the transmission destination information associated with the user designates a personal address of the user successful in authentication.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the transmission destination information associated with the user designates an address set for a group to which the user successful in authentication belongs.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein, if no transmission destination is designated in the transmission destination designation step, transmission to the transmission destination associated with the user is determined in the determination step, and the image is transmitted only to the transmission destination associated with the user in the transmission step.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein, only if transmission to the user itself is designated in the transmission destination designation step, transmission to the transmission destination associated with the user is determined in the determination step, and the image is transmitted to the transmission destination associated with the user in the transmission step.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein, if transmission to the user itself is preset, transmission to the transmission destination associated with the user as well as to the transmission destination designated in the transmission destination designation step is determined in the determination step, and the image is transmitted to the transmission destination designated and the transmission destination associated with the user in the transmission step.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the transmission step includes using an electronic mail transmission, and the transmission destination associated with the user is set to a broadcast destination or an anonymous broadcast destination.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the user information acquisition step includes displaying a button arranged to set an electronic mail address of the user successful in authentication performed by the authentication unit as a transmission destination, and obtaining the electronic mail address of the user when the button is selected.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising steps of reading an image to be transmitted and pressing a start key to start the operation in the reading step, wherein the image is transmitted in the transmission step when the start key is pressed.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising a start key prohibition step of prohibiting the operation of the start key when the transmission destination is not designated, wherein the prohibition operation in the start key prohibition step is canceled if the button is pressed while the prohibition operation is being performed.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the electronic mail address is an electronic mail address uniquely assigned to the image transmitting apparatus which performs the transmission step.  
   
   
       27 . An image transmitting method in which an image is transmitted to a predetermined transmission destination, the method comprising: 
 an inputting step of inputting an image to be transmitted;    an administrator authentication step of authenticating administrator authority by user authentication;    a transmission destination information setting step of setting transmission destination information if the authentication in the administrator authentication step is successful;    a transmission destination designation step of designating a transmission destination to which the image should be transmitted; and    a transmission step of transmitting the image to the transmission destination designated in the transmission destination designation step and to a transmission destination according to the transmission destination information set in the transmission destination information setting step.    
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising a user authentication step of authenticating a user right by user authentication, wherein a transmission destination associated with the user according to the transmission destination information set in the transmission destination information setting step is obtained and the image is transmitted the image to the transmission destination in the transmission step.  
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the transmission destination associated with the user is at least one of transmission destinations in a group to which the user belongs.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein an electronic mail transmission is used in the transmission step, and the transmission destination according to the transmission destination information set in the transmission destination information setting step is input to a broadcast destination or an anonymous broadcast destination.  
   
   
       31 . A computer program written to execute an image transmitting method, the method comprising: 
 an inputting step of inputting an image to be transmitted:    an administrator authentication step of authenticating administrator authority by user authentication;    a transmission destination information setting step of setting transmission destination information if the authentication in the administrator authentication step is successful;    a transmission destination designation step of designating a transmission destination to which the image should be transmitted, and    a transmission step of transmitting the image to the transmission destination designated in the transmission destination designation step and to a transmission destination according to the transmission destination information set in the transmission destination information setting step.    
   
   
       32 . A computer readable storage medium on which the computer program according to  claim 31  is stored.