E-mail communication apparatus, e-mail communication method and program

Abstract

To provide an e-mail communication apparatus, an e-mail communication method and a program capable of, in the case of receiving e-mail which is split e-mails including request-to-send (RTS) information for transmitting the e-mail to a predetermined destination, suitably performing transmittal confirmation without transmitting to a source the e-mail of the transmittal confirmation as to each of multiple pieces of the split e-mails. First, an MFP 100 having received the e-mail determines whether or not the e-mail is one of multiple divided data pieces generated by dividing image data by a data amount so as to store it. In the case where the received data is the divided data, the MFP 100 determines whether or not all the divided data pieces of the image data are stored, and transmits transmittal confirmation mail based on an MDN request if all are stored.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . An e-mail communication apparatus comprising:
 a receiving unit adapted to receive multiple split e-mails which are generated by dividing an e-mail to which an image file is attached;   a combining unit adapted to generate combined data so as to regenerate the e-mail, from which the multiple split e-mails are generated, based on the multiple split e-mails received by the receiving unit; and   a transmitting unit adapted to, in a case where header information of the e-mail regenerated by said combining unit includes disposition-notification information for transmitting a disposition-notification e-mail to a destination, transmitting to the destination said disposition-notification e-mail indicating that at least a part of the e-mail, from which the multiple split e-mails are generated, has been received.   
   
   
       29 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said combining unit combines the multiple split e-mails according to reception by said receiving unit of all said multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail from which the multiple split e-mails are generated. 
   
   
       30 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said combining unit combines the multiple split e-mails according to an instruction given from an operator of the e-mail communication apparatus before the reception, by said receiving unit, of all of the multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail from which the multiple split e-mails are generated. 
   
   
       31 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , further comprising a timing unit adapted to time an elapsed time from the reception by said receiving unit of at least one of the multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail from which the multiple split e-mails are generated, and wherein:
 the combining unit generates said combined data based on the multiple split e-mails according to timing by the timing unit of a predetermined elapsed time before the reception by said receiving unit of all of the multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail from which the multiple split e-mails are generated.   
   
   
       32 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the transmitting unit performs transmission to the destination to the effect that the e-mail has been normally transmitted in the case where the combining unit has combined all the split e-mails relating to the e-mail, and informs the destination to the effect that the e-mail has not been normally transmitted in the case where the combining unit has combined a part of the multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail. 
   
   
       33 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , further comprising a requesting unit adapted to request a source of the split e-mails to retransmit the split e-mails yet to be received in the case where, after the reception by said receiving unit of at least one of the multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail from which the multiple split e-mails are generated, the reception of all the multiple split e-mails relating to the e-mail is not completed. 
   
   
       34 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , further comprising an image forming unit adapted to form an image on recording paper based on said combined data generated by the combining unit. 
   
   
       35 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the destination is the source of the split e-mails received by said receiving unit. 
   
   
       36 . The e-mail communication apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the split e-mail is one of divided data pieces generated by dividing the e-mail by a predetermined data amount. 
   
   
       37 . An e-mail communication method implemented in an e-mail communication apparatus, the method comprising:
 a receiving step of receiving multiple split e-mails which are generated by dividing an e-mail to which an image file is attached;   a combining step of generating combined data so as to regenerate the e-mail, from which the multiple split e-mails are generated, based on the multiple split e-mails received in the receiving step; and   a transmitting step of, in a case where header information of said e-mail regenerated by the combining step includes disposition-notification information for transmitting a disposition-notification e-mail to a destination, transmitting to the destination said disposition-notification e-mail indicating that at least a part of the e-mail, from which the multiple split e-mails are generated, has been received.   
   
   
       38 . A computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer-executable program that, when executed by a computer, performs the method according to  claim 37 .