Method and apparatus to print e-mail according to printing environment settings corresponding to each user

Abstract

A method and apparatus to print an e-mail according to printing environment settings corresponding to each user includes receiving a user profile stored in the outside, setting an e-mail printing environment by using the received user profile, and printing an e-mail received from an e-mail server according to the set e-mail printing environment. By doing so, users can print an e-mail according to a printing environment desired by a user in an image forming apparatus such as a Multi Function Printer (MFP), a printer, or the like which supports printing of an e-mail.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An e-mail printing system for providing e-mail printing setting information to a multi function printer by a web service, the e-mail printing system comprising:
 a server being configured to:   store an e-mail account corresponding to a user and corresponding e-mail printing setting information; and   a multi function printer operable to perform at least one of a print function, a copy function, a scan function and a fax function, the multi function printer comprising:
 an interface unit being configured to receive e-mail printing setting information corresponding to the e-mail account and receive e-mail corresponding to the e-mail account, 
 an e-mail printing setting unit being configured to set an e-mail printing environment setting, 
   an e-mail printing unit operable to print an e-mail, and   a controller being configured to cause the e-mail printing setting unit to set the e-mail printing environment setting based on the received e-mail printing setting information, and cause the e-mail printing unit to print the e-mail according to the set e-mail printing environment setting.   
     
     
         2 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 1 , wherein the e-mail printing setting information comprises filtering information indicating which e-mail is allowed to be printed or prohibited from being printed. 
     
     
         3 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 2 , wherein the filtering information comprises at least one of text string information, e-mail accounts, and servers. 
     
     
         4 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 3 , wherein the multi function printer can be registered to the server by the web service. 
     
     
         5 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 1 , wherein the multi function printer is operable to print the e-mail according to basic e-mail printing environment setting if the e-mail printing setting information does not exist. 
     
     
         6 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 1 , wherein the interface unit of the multi function printer is configured to receive an e-mail stored in the server via POP3. 
     
     
         7 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 1 , wherein the interface unit of the multi function printer is configured to receive an e-mail stored in an e-mail server from the e-mail server. 
     
     
         8 . The e-mail printing system of  claim 1 , wherein the interface unit of the multi function printer is configured to connect the multi function printer to the server upon application of power to the multi function printer; and
 wherein the multi function printer further comprising:   an update performing unit being configured to update the e-mail account and the corresponding e-mail printing setting information stored in the multi function printer based on the e-mail account and the corresponding e-mail printing setting information stored in the server.   
     
     
         9 . A method of printing an e-mail according to printing environment settings, the method comprising:
 requesting, to a server, an e-mail printing setting information corresponding to a e-mail account corresponding to a user;   receiving the email printing setting information from the server;   setting an e-mail printing environment by using the received e-mail printing setting information;   receiving e-mail corresponding to the e-mail account; and   printing the e-mail according to the set e-mail printing environment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the e-mail printing setting information comprises filtering information indicating which e-mail is allowed to be printed or prohibited from being printed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the filtering information comprises at least one of text string information, e-mail accounts, and servers. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprising:
 registering an image forming apparatus to the server by the web service.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprising:
 printing the e-mail according to basic e-mail printing environment setting if the e-mail printing setting information does not exist.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the receiving e-mail comprising:
 receiving the e-mail stored in an e-mail server from the e-mail server.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus to print an e-mail according to printing environment settings, the apparatus comprising:
 An interface unit to request, to a server, an e-mail printing setting information corresponding to an e-mail account corresponding to a user and to receive the email printing setting information from the server and to receive e-mail corresponding to the e-mail account;   a printing environment setting unit to set an e-mail printing environment by using the received printing environment;   An e-mail printing unit to print the email according to the set e-mail printing environment; and   A controller to cause the e-mail printing setting unit to set the e-mail printing environment setting based on the received e-mail printing setting information and cause the e-mail printing unit to print the e-mail according to the set e-mail printing environment.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the e-mail printing setting information comprises filtering information indicating which e-mail is allowed to be printed or prohibited from being printed. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the filtering information comprises at least one of text string information, e-mail accounts, and servers. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the controller to cause the e-mail printing unit to print the e-mail according to basic e-mail printing environment setting if the e-mail printing setting information does not exist.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the interface unit to receive the e-mail stored in an e-mail server from the e-mail server.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program to execute a method, the method comprises:
 requesting, to a server, an e-mail printing setting information corresponding to an e-mail account corresponding to a user;   receiving the email printing setting information from the server;   setting an e-mail printing environment by using the received e-mail printing setting information;   receiving e-mail corresponding to the e-mail account; and   printing the e-mail according to the set e-mail printing environment.