COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20110129075A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• 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: YAMANE, Yukinori, KUNII, Tadahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,020,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/100.15
• 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 relaying section which relays phone conversation between a sub-communication apparatus and an external communication apparatus which is in a communicable connection state by the communication controlling portion; a request section which requests, when a transmission command for transmitting transmission data has been transmitted from the sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus, a data processing apparatus to transmit the transmission data while maintaining a connection state between the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus to the communicable connection state; a receiving section which receives the transmission data transmitted from the data processing apparatus in response to the request of the request section; and a transmitting section which transmits the transmission data received by the receiving section to the external communication apparatus being in the communicable connection state.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

a communication portion configured to perform a data communication with a sub-communication apparatus;

a data transmitting and receiving portion configured to transmit and receive data to and from a data processing apparatus configured to process transmission data to be transmitted to an external communication apparatus;

a connecting portion configured to connect the communication apparatus to a communication network;

a communication controlling portion configured to control a connection state between the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus via the communication network connected by the connecting portion;

a relaying section configured to relay a phone conversation between the sub-communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus in a state in which the connection state is in a communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus, by the communication controlling portion;

a request section configured to request, when a transmission command for transmitting the transmission data has been transmitted via the communication portion from the sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is being relayed by the relaying section, the data processing apparatus via the data transmitting and receiving portion to transmit the transmission data while maintaining the connection state to a communicable connection state in which the communication apparatus is communicable with the external communication apparatus;

a receiving section configured to receive the transmission data transmitted from the data processing apparatus in response to the request of the request section; and

a transmitting section configured to transmit the transmission data received by the receiving section to the external communication apparatus, while maintaining the connection state to the communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the request section is configured to specify specific data of the external communication apparatus while maintaining the connection state to the communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus, the specific data specifying the external communication apparatus to which the transmission data is to be transmitted, and configured to request the data processing apparatus to transmit the transmission data.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the data processing apparatus is configured to transmit, to the receiving section, the transmission data corresponding to the specific data of the external communication apparatus in a state in which the connection state is maintained to the communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus, in response to the request of the request section.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the data processing apparatus includes:

a storage portion configured to store therein the specific data and the transmission data such that the specific data and the transmission data are brought into correspondence with each other; and

a judging section configured to judge whether or not the transmission data stored in the storage portion is the transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the data processing apparatus includes a new-transmission-data producing section configured to newly produce the transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section, where the storage portion stores therein no transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section.

6. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying section configured to notify the sub-communication apparatus that performs the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is relayed by the relaying section, about one of the transmission data received by the receiving section and identification data which identifies the transmission data from other transmission data and which has been brought into correspondence with the transmission data received by the receiving section,

wherein the transmitting section is configured to transmit one of (a) the transmission data selected in the sub-communication apparatus and (b) the transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the identification data selected in the sub-communication apparatus among the one of (a) the transmission data and (b) the identification data about which the notifying section has notified the sub-communication apparatus.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the data processing apparatus is configured to transmit, where the storage portion stores therein a plurality of pieces of the transmission data which have been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section, one of (a) the plurality of pieces of the transmission data and (b) identification data which has been brought into correspondence with the plurality of pieces of the transmission data to the receiving section, and

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify the sub-communication apparatus that performs the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is relayed by the relaying section, about one of (a) the plurality of pieces of the transmission data and (b) a list of the identification data which has been brought into correspondence with the plurality of pieces of the transmission data.

8. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sending section configured to send a message to the external communication apparatus maintaining the communicable connection state, between a receipt of the transmission command of the transmission data from the sub-communication apparatus that performs the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is relayed by the relaying section, and a start of the transmission of the transmission data by the transmitting section.

9. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the sub-communication apparatus includes a command receiving portion configured to receive the transmission command for transmitting the transmission data, the transmission command being inputted by a user, and

wherein the request section is configured to request the data processing apparatus to transmit the transmission data where the transmission command of the transmission data which has been received by the command receiving portion has been transmitted via the communication portion.

10. The communication apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the communication controlling portion is configured to maintain the connection state between the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus to the communicable connection state, for at least a duration of time from a start of the phone conversation by the communication portion to a completion of the transmission of the transmission data to the external communication apparatus by the transmitting section.

11. A communication system comprising (a) a data processing apparatus configured to process transmission data to be transmitted to an external communication apparatus and (b) a communication apparatus which includes:

a communication portion configured to perform a data communication with a sub-communication apparatus;

a data transmitting and receiving portion configured to transmit and receive data to and from the data processing apparatus;

a connecting portion configured to connect the communication apparatus to a communication network; and

a communication controlling portion configured to control a connection state between the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus via the communication network connected by the connecting portion, the communication apparatus further including;

a relaying section configured to relay a phone conversation between the sub-communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus in a state in which the connection state is in a communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus, by the communication controlling portion;

a request section configured to request, when a transmission command for transmitting the transmission data has been transmitted via the communication portion from the sub-communication apparatus performing the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is being relayed by the relaying section, the data processing apparatus via the data transmitting and receiving portion to transmit the transmission data while maintaining the connection state to a communicable connection state in which the communication apparatus is communicable with the external communication apparatus;

a receiving section configured to receive the transmission data transmitted from the data processing apparatus in response to the request of the request section; and

a transmitting section configured to transmit the transmission data received by the receiving section to the external communication apparatus, while maintaining the connection state to the communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus.

12. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the request section is configured to specify specific data of the external communication apparatus while maintaining the connection state to the communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus, the specific data specifying the external communication apparatus to which the transmission data is to be transmitted, and configured to request the data processing apparatus to transmit the transmission data.

13. The communication system according to claim 12,

wherein the data processing apparatus is configured to transmit, to the receiving section, the transmission data corresponding to the specific data of the external communication apparatus in a state in which the connection state is maintained to the communicable connection state in which the external communication apparatus is communicable with the communication apparatus, in response to the request of the request section.

14. The communication system according to claim 13,

wherein the data processing apparatus includes:

a storage portion configured to store therein the specific data and the transmission data such that the specific data and the transmission data are brought into correspondence with each other; and

a judging section configured to judge whether or not the transmission data stored in the storage portion is the transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section.

15. The communication system according to claim 14,

wherein the data processing apparatus includes a new-transmission-data producing section configured to newly produce the transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section, where the storage portion stores therein no transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section.

16. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the communication apparatus further includes a notifying section configured to notify the sub-communication apparatus that performs the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is relayed by the relaying section, about one of the transmission data received by the receiving section and identification data which identifies the transmission data from other transmission data and which has been brought into correspondence with the transmission data received by the receiving section, and

wherein the transmitting section is configured to transmit one of (a) the transmission data selected in the sub-communication apparatus and (b) the transmission data which has been brought into correspondence with the identification data selected in the sub-communication apparatus among the one of (a) the transmission data and (b) the identification data about which the notifying section has notified the sub-communication apparatus.

17. The communication system according to claim 16,

wherein the data processing apparatus is configured to transmit, where the storage portion stores therein a plurality of pieces of the transmission data which have been brought into correspondence with the specific data specified by the request section, one of (a) the plurality of pieces of the transmission data and (b) identification data which has been brought into correspondence with the plurality of pieces of the transmission data to the receiving section, and

wherein the notifying section is configured to notify the sub-communication apparatus that performs the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is relayed by the relaying section, about one of (a) the plurality of pieces of the transmission data and (b) a list of the identification data which has been brought into correspondence with the plurality of pieces of the transmission data.

18. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the communication apparatus further includes a sending section configured to send a message to the external communication apparatus maintaining the communicable connection state, between a receipt of the transmission command of the transmission data from the sub-communication apparatus that performs the phone conversation with the external communication apparatus which is relayed by the relaying section, and a start of the transmission of the transmission data by the transmitting section.

19. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the sub-communication apparatus includes a command receiving portion configured to receive the transmission command for transmitting the transmission data, the transmission command being inputted by a user, and

wherein the request section is configured to request the data processing apparatus to transmit the transmission data where the transmission command of the transmission data which has been received by the command receiving portion has been transmitted via the communication portion.

20. The communication system according to claim 11,

wherein the communication controlling portion is configured to maintain the connection state between the communication apparatus and the external communication apparatus to the communicable connection state, for at least a duration of time from a start of the phone conversation by the communication portion to a completion of the transmission of the transmission data to the external communication apparatus by the transmitting section.