COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110129074A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: KUNII, Tadahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32704 Establishing a communication with one of a facsimile and another telecommunication apparatus sharing a single line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32708 Telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32747 Controlling the connection of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A communication apparatus including: a communication portion which performs a data communication with a sub-communication apparatus; a transmission-data communicating portion which performs a transmission-data communication with a data processing apparatus; a transmission-data receiving section which receives transmission data from the data processing apparatus; a notifying section which transmits a notification to the sub-communication apparatus, the notification being based on that the transmission-data receiving section has received the transmission data; a relaying section which relays a phone conversation between an external communication apparatus and the sub-communication apparatus; and a transmitting section which transmits the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section, to an external communication apparatus as a call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section where a transmission-data transmitting command has been received from the at sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation being

Claims

1. A communication apparatus configured to transmit and receive data to and from an external communication apparatus in a state in which the communication apparatus is connected to a communication network, the communication apparatus comprising:

a communication portion configured to perform a data communication with at least one sub-communication apparatus which is configured to perform a phone conversation with the external communication apparatus via the communication network;

a transmission-data communicating portion configured to perform a transmission-data communication with a data processing apparatus which is configured to process transmission data to be transmitted to the external communication apparatus;

a transmission-data receiving section configured to receive the transmission data transmitted from the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion;

a notifying section configured to transmit a notification to the at least one sub-communication apparatus via the communication portion, the notification being based on that the transmission-data receiving section has received the transmission data;

a relaying section configured to relay the phone conversation between the external communication apparatus and the at least one sub-communication apparatus to which the notification has been transmitted by the notifying section; and

a transmitting section configured to transmit the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section, to an external communication apparatus as a call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section where a transmission-data transmitting command has been received from the at least one sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation being relayed by the relaying section.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a specific-data receiving section configured to receive specific data from the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion, the specific data being for specifying an external communication apparatus to which the transmission data is to be transmitted,

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify the at least one sub-communication apparatus of the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a call-opposite-party-data obtaining section configured to obtain a call opposite party data for specifying the external communication apparatus as the call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section; and

a first judging section configured to judge whether the call opposite party data obtained by the call-opposite-party-data obtaining section and the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section coincide with each other or not,

wherein the transmitting section is configured to transmit the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section to the external communication apparatus as the call opposite party where the first judging section has judged that the call opposite party data and the specific data coincide with each other.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein, where the at least one sub-communication apparatus is a plurality of sub-communication apparatuses, the communication portion is configured to perform a data communication with each of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises an identification-data receiving section configured to receive identification data from the data processing apparatus, the identification data being for identifying each of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses, and

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify only at least one of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses which is identified by the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a storage section configured to store the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section from the data processing apparatus such that the received transmission data is brought into correspondence with the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section and the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section; and

an extracting section configured to extract, on condition that the identification-data receiving section receives the identification data from the data processing apparatus, the specific data which is stored in the storage section and which has been brought into correspondence with the received the identification data,

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify the at least one of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses which is identified by the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section, of the specific data extracted by the extracting section.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a call-opposite-party-data obtaining section configured to obtain a call opposite party data for specifying the external communication apparatus as the call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section;

a second judging section configured to judge whether the specific data coinciding with the call opposite party data obtained by the call-opposite-party-data obtaining section is stored in the storage section or not; and

a data presence-or-absence notifying section configured to notify the at least one of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses which is identified by the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section, of a result of the judgment of the second judging section.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a specific-data receiving section configured to receive specific data from the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion, the specific data being for specifying an external communication apparatus to which the transmission data is to be transmitted; and

a calling section configured to call, on condition that the specific-data receiving section receives the specific data, the external communication apparatus specified by the received specific data,

wherein the relaying section is configured to relay the phone conversation between the external communication apparatus called by the calling section and the at least one sub-communication apparatus.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication portion and the transmission-data communicating portion are configured to transmit and receive the data by wireless communication,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises a disconnecting section configured to disconnect a connection of a communication between the communication apparatus and the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion after the transmission-data receiving section has received the transmission data, and

wherein the relaying section is configured to start to relay the phone conversation between the at least one sub-communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus after the disconnecting section has disconnected the connection between the communication apparatus and the data processing apparatus.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an identifier receiving section configured to receive an identifier indicating whether or not the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command transmitted from the at least one sub-communication apparatus has been received,

wherein where the identifier received by the identifier receiving section indicates that the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is not to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command has been received, the transmitting section is configured to transmit the transmission data to the external communication apparatus specified by the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section even where the transmitting section has not been received the transmission-data transmitting command.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the notifying section is configured to transmit, to the at least one sub-communication apparatus, a notification indicating that the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command has been received, where the identifier received by the identifier receiving section indicates that the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command has been received.

11. A communication system comprising a data processing apparatus and a communication apparatus comprising:

a communication portion configured to perform a data communication with at least one sub-communication apparatus which is configured to perform a phone conversation with an external communication apparatus via a communication network; and

a transmission-data communicating portion configured to perform a transmission-data communication with the data processing apparatus configured to process transmission data to be transmitted to the external communication apparatus,

wherein the communication apparatus is configured to transmit and receive data to and from the external communication apparatus in a state in which the communication apparatus is connected to the communication network, the communication apparatus further comprising;

a transmission-data receiving section configured to receive the transmission data transmitted from the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion;

a notifying section configured to transmit a notification to the at least one sub-communication apparatus via the communication portion, the notification being based on that the transmission-data receiving section has received the transmission data;

a relaying section configured to relay the phone conversation between the external communication apparatus and the at least one sub-communication apparatus to which the notification has been transmitted by the notifying section; and

a transmitting section configured to transmit the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section, to an external communication apparatus as a call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section where a transmission-data transmitting command has been received from the at least one sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation being relayed by the relaying section, and

wherein each of the at least one sub-communication apparatus includes;

a display portion configured to display thereon specific data transmitted from the notifying section; and

a call commanding section configured to command, where a user has selected the specific data displayed on the display portion, the communication apparatus to call the external communication apparatus specified by the selected specific data.

12. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises a specific-data receiving section configured to receive the specific data from the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion, the specific data being for specifying an external communication apparatus to which the transmission data is to be transmitted, and

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify the at least one sub-communication apparatus of the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section.

13. The communication system according to claim 12,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:

a call-opposite-party-data obtaining section configured to obtain a call opposite party data for specifying the external communication apparatus as the call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section; and

a first judging section configured to judge whether the call opposite party data obtained by the call-opposite-party-data obtaining section and the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section coincide with each other or not, and

wherein the transmitting section is configured to transmit the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section to the external communication apparatus as the call opposite party where the first judging section has judged that the call opposite party data and the specific data coincide with each other.

14. The communication system according to claim 12,

wherein, where the at least one sub-communication apparatus is a plurality of sub-communication apparatuses, the communication portion is configured to perform a data communication with each of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises an identification-data receiving section configured to receive identification data from the data processing apparatus, the identification data being for identifying each of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses, and

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify only at least one of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses which is identified by the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section.

15. The communication system according to claim 14,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:

a storage section configured to store the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section from the data processing apparatus such that the received transmission data is brought into correspondence with the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section and the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section; and

an extracting section configured to extract, on condition that the identification-data receiving section receives the identification data from the data processing apparatus, the specific data which is stored in the storage section and which has been brought into correspondence with the received the identification data, and

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify the at least one of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses which is identified by the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section, of the specific data extracted by the extracting section.

16. The communication system according to claim 15,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:

a call-opposite-party-data obtaining section configured to obtain a call opposite party data for specifying the external communication apparatus as the call opposite party of the phone conversation which is being relayed by the relaying section;

a second judging section configured to judge whether the specific data coinciding with the call opposite party data obtained by the call-opposite-party-data obtaining section is stored in the storage section or not; and

a data presence-or-absence notifying section configured to notify the at least one of the plurality of sub-communication apparatuses which is identified by the identification data received by the identification-data receiving section, of a result of the judgment of the second judging section.

17. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises:

a specific-data receiving section configured to receive specific data from the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion, the specific data being for specifying an external communication apparatus to which the transmission data is to be transmitted; and

a calling section configured to call, on condition that the specific-data receiving section receives the specific data, the external communication apparatus specified by the received specific data, and

wherein the relaying section is configured to relay the phone conversation between the external communication apparatus called by the calling section and the at least one sub-communication apparatus.

18. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the communication portion and the transmission-data communicating portion are configured to transmit and receive the data by wireless communication,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises a disconnecting section configured to disconnect a connection of a communication between the communication apparatus and the data processing apparatus via the transmission-data communicating portion after the transmission-data receiving section has received the transmission data, and

wherein the relaying section is configured to start to relay the phone conversation between the at least one sub-communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus after the disconnecting section has disconnected the connection between the communication apparatus and the data processing apparatus.

19. The communication system according to claim 12,

wherein the communication apparatus further comprises an identifier receiving section configured to receive an identifier indicating whether or not the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command transmitted from the at least one sub-communication apparatus has been received,

wherein where the identifier received by the identifier receiving section indicates that the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is not to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command has been received, the transmitting section is configured to transmit the transmission data to the external communication apparatus specified by the specific data received by the specific-data receiving section even where the transmitting section has not been received the transmission-data transmitting command.

20. The communication system according to claim 19,

wherein the notifying section is configured to transmit, to the at least one sub-communication apparatus, a notification indicating that the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command has been received, where the identifier received by the identifier receiving section indicates that the transmission data received by the transmission-data receiving section is to be transmitted on condition that the transmission-data transmitting command has been received.