Communication apparatus, electronic mail transmitting method, and electronic mail transmitting program

Abstract

A communication apparatus enhances security in transmitting electronic mail to a destination mail address without degrading operability. An MFP is connected to an authentication server and a mail server via a network. A user name and password are entered in a user name entry screen. The MFP requests the authentication server to authenticate the entered user name and password. When the user name and password are authenticated, the MFP is operable to acquire an e-mail address, a SMTP authentication user name, and a SMTP authentication password according to SMTP associated with the authenticated user name and password from the authentication server. The MFP requests the mail server to authenticate the acquired SMTP authentication user name and SMTP authentication password according to SMTP. When the SMTP authentication user name and the SMTP authentication password are authenticated, the MFP is operable to transmit e-mail to the mail server.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . AMFP (Multi Function Peripheral) for transmitting data using a communication protocol, the MFP comprising:
 a scanner generating image data by scanning an original;   a receiver for accepting identification information of a user of the MFP;   a memory storing instructions, and   a processor executing the instructions to cause the MFP to:
 obtain, from a storage device, authentication information used for the authentication corresponding to the communication protocol based on identification information accepted by the receiver, wherein the storage device stores, in association with identification information of each user of the MFP, authentication information used for an authentication corresponding to the communication protocol; 
 send the obtained authentication information to a server for the authentication; and 
 after the authentication has been executed on the server, transmit, using the communication protocol, data including the image data generated by the scanner, 
 wherein the transmitted data includes a predetermined information as information indicating source of the transmission for the data, and 
 wherein the predetermined information is common for a plurality of users and is set to the MFP in advance. 
   
     
     
         2 . The MFP according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication protocol is an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). 
     
     
         3 . The MFP according to  claim 2 , wherein the data including the image data is transmitted by Internet FAX (facsimile) using the SMTP. 
     
     
         4 . The MFP according to  claim 2 , wherein, based on the accepted identification information, the authentication information is obtained from the storage device of an authentication server different from an SMTP server. 
     
     
         5 . The MFP according to  claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the authentication fails, data including the image data generated by the scanner is not transmitted. 
     
     
         6 . The MFP according to  claim 1 , wherein the accepted identification information is information of the user for a login to the MFP. 
     
     
         7 . The MFP according to  claim 1 , wherein the MFP includes a printer. 
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling a MFP (Multi Function Peripheral), including a scanner generating image data by scanning an original and a receiver for accepting identification information of a user of the MFP, for transmitting data using a communication protocol, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining, from a storage device, authentication information used for the authentication corresponding to the communication protocol based on identification information accepted by the receiver, wherein the storage device stores, in association with identification information of each user of the MFP, authentication information used for an authentication corresponding to the communication protocol;   sending the obtained authentication information to a server for the authentication; and   after the authentication has been executed on the server, transmitting, using the communication protocol, data including the image data generated by the scanner,   wherein the transmitted data includes a predetermined information as information indicating source of the transmission for the data, and   wherein the predetermined information is common for a plurality of users and is set to the MFP in advance.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the communication protocol is an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the data including the image data is transmitted by Internet FAX (facsimile) using the SMTP. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein, based on the accepted identification information, the authentication information is obtained from the storage device of an authentication server different from an SMTP server. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein, in a case where the authentication fails, data including the image data generated by the scanner is not transmitted. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the accepted identification information is information of the user for a login to the MFP. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the MFP includes a printer. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program executable by a computer to execute a method of controlling a MFP (Multi Function Peripheral), including a scanner generating image data by scanning an original and a receiver for accepting identification information of a user of the MFP, for transmitting data using a communication protocol, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining, from a storage device, authentication information used for the authentication corresponding to the communication protocol based on identification information accepted by the receiver, wherein the storage device stores, in association with identification information of each user of the MFP, authentication information used for an authentication corresponding to the communication protocol;   sending the obtained authentication information to a server for the authentication; and   after the authentication has been executed on the server, transmitting, using the communication protocol, data including the image data generated by the scanner,   wherein the transmitted data includes a predetermined information as information indicating source of the transmission for the data, and   wherein the predetermined information is common for a plurality of users and is set to the MFP in advance.