Facsimile apparatus and repeater

• US 20020054367A1
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Communications Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Suguru
• Granted Patent: US 7,199,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32058 Abbreviated dialing, e.g. one-touch dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32069 simultaneously to a plurality of destinations, e.g. multi-casting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33392 Details of handshaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

When a multicast instruction is input, a facsimile apparatus transmits an input plurality of sub-addresses together with image data to a repeater in a single communication transaction. Thus, effective communication can be performed.

Claims

1. A facsimile apparatus comprising:

an input unit that inputs an identifier of a repeater and a plurality of sub-addresses of receiver terminals in association with the identifier; and

a controller, upon receiving a multicast instruction, that performs call processing for the repeater based upon the identifier and transmits the plurality of sub-addresses to the repeater, together with image information in a single communication transaction.

2. The facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit further inputs a plurality of identifiers of repeaters, each of the plurality of identifiers being associated with at least one of the plurality of sub-addresses, and

wherein, when the plurality of identifiers of repeaters are input, the controller groups the plurality of sub-addresses input from the input unit by the repeaters based upon the identifiers and transmits each of the grouped sub-addresses to each of the repeaters.

3. The facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the input unit includes a plurality of one-touch buttons with which an identifier of a repeater and a sub-address of a receiver terminal can be input in one operation, and

wherein the controller obtains the plurality of identifiers of the repeaters and the plurality of sub-addresses of the receiver terminals in accordance with pressed one-touch buttons, and groups the plurality of sub-addresses of the receiver terminals in association with each of the repeaters.

4. The facsimile apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-addresses input from the input unit are transmitted to the repeater by a NSS.

5. The facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identifier is a telephone number of the repeater.

6. A repeater comprising:

a receiving section that receives a plurality of sub-addresses of receiver terminals from a telephone line, together with image information requested to be relayed in a single communication transaction;

a memory section that stores sub-addresses of receiver terminals and TCP/IP addresses of the receiver terminals in association with each other; and

a controller that, when the plurality of sub-addresses of receiver terminals are received together with the image information, obtains a TCP/IP address corresponding to each of the received sub-addresses of receiver terminals by referring to the memory section, and transmits the image information to a receiver terminal corresponding to the obtained TCP/IP address by an e-mail.

7. A repeater comprising:

a receiving section that receives a plurality of sub-addresses of receiver terminals from a telephone line, together with image information requested to be relayed in a single communication transaction;

a memory section that stores sub-addresses of receiver terminals and e-mail addresses of the receiver terminals in association with each other; and

a controller that, when the plurality of sub-addresses of receiver terminals are received together with the image information, obtains an e-mail address corresponding to each of the received sub-addresses of receiver terminals by referring to the memory section, and transmits the image information by an e-mail including the obtained e-mail address in an addressee field to a mail server.

8. A communication method of a facsimile apparatus comprising:

inputting a plurality of sub-addresses of receiver terminals;

calling a repeater when a multicasting instruction is given; and

transmitting the plurality of input sub-addresses of receiver terminals to the repeater in a single communication transaction, together with image information.

9. The communication method of the facsimile apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

inputting a plurality of telephone numbers of repeaters, each of the plurality of telephone numbers being associated with at least one of the plurality of sub-addresses; and

grouping the plurality of input sub-addresses of receiver terminals by the repeaters in accordance with the plurality of telephone numbers,

wherein the calling calls each of the repeaters based upon the plurality of telephone numbers, and

the transmitting transmits each of the grouped sub-addresses to each of the repeaters.

10. A facsimile apparatus comprising:

a plurality of one-touch buttons, each designating a telephone number of a repeater and a sub-address of a receiver terminal;

a controller, when at least two of the one-touch buttons are pressed, that groups sub-addresses corresponding to the pressed one-touch buttons with repeaters based upon telephone numbers corresponding to the pressed one-touch buttons;

a transmitter that transmits each of the grouped sub-addresses to each of the repeaters in one communication transaction.