Communication terminal apparatus having a relaying function

• US 4,910,765 A
• Filed: 09/06/1988
• Issued: 03/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Gojyo, Tomomi, Matsuse, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Application Number:
  US07/240,475
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33, 455/34, 455/11, 455/12, 455/14, 455/3, 455/6, 455/7, 370/92, 370/85, 370/86, 370/88, 370/97, 340/825.5, 340/825.05, 379/100, 364/137, 364/188, 364/900, 358/78
• US Class Current: 379/100.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32048 Auto-dialling or Auto-calling H04N1/32053 - H04N1/32074 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33376 according to characteristics or state of one of the communicating parties, e.g. available memory capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33392 Details of handshaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

A communication terminal apparatus having a relay function for relaying transmission information from a source station to a destination station. The transmission information includes not only document information, but also relay information, such as the address of the destination station and the apparatus type of the destination station. Thus, the communication terminal apparatus, upon receipt of the transmission information, can automatically transmits the transmission information to the desired destination station. Preferably, the communication terminal apparatus includes a conversion function for converting the format of the transmission information to another format, thereby allowing to transmit the transmission information between the source and destination stations different in apparatus type via the present communication terminal apparatus.

Claims

1. A document processing terminal apparatus including a display and inputting means wherein said apparatus is capable of transmitting document information through a transmission line to a remote place, comprising:

means in said apparatus, for storing a destination file representative of each of a plurality of communication terminal apparatuses, said destination file including address information and terminal type information wherein said terminal type information includes facsimile, teletex and private teletex;

transmission condition setting means for setting a transmission mode of said apparatus, said transmission mode including a relay mode;

designating means for designating a relay communication terminal apparatus for relaying document information and also a destination communication terminal apparatus to which said document information is to be finally transmitted through said relay communication terminal apparatus;

relay control file forming means for forming a relay control file from the address information and terminal type information of said destination based on the designation of said destination communication terminal apparatus by said designating means and said destination file; and

transmitting means for transmitting document information;

whereby, when said relay mode is set by said transmission condition setting means, said transmitting means transmits said relay control file to a terminal apparatus acting as a relay communication terminal apparatus, together with said document information.

2. A document processing terminal apparatus including a display and inputting means wherein said apparatus is capable of transmitting document information through a transmission line to a remote place, comprising:

means in said apparatus for storing a destination file of each of a plurality of communication terminal apparatuses, said destination file including address information and charge information regarding charge between any two of said plurality of communication terminal apparatuses;

transmission condition setting means for setting a transmission mode of said apparatus, said transmission mode including a relay mode;

designating means for designating a destination communication terminal apparatus to which said document information is to be transmitted;

relay control file forming means for forming a relay control file which determines if one or more of said plurality of communication terminal apparatus should act as relay stations and an order of transmitting said document information through said one or more relay stations in order to minimize the charge for transmitting said document information to said destination communication terminal apparatus based on the designation of said destination communication terminal apparatus by said designating means and said destination file; and

transmitting means for transmitting document information;

whereby, when said relay mode is set by said transmission condition setting means, said transmitting means transmits said document information to a destination communication control apparatus designated by said designating means in accordance with said relay control file.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said charge information is distance information between any two of said plurality of communication control apparatuses, whereby said relay control file is formed such that the distance to said destination communication terminal apparatus is minimized.