Data communication apparatus with voice communication control

• US 4,932,048 A
• Filed: 09/05/1989
• Issued: 06/05/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Takaaki, Kenmochi, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/403,842
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/74, 379/77, 379/79, 379/80, 379/82, 379/97, 379/100, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/70, 370/62, 370/76, 370/94, 370/110.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/652 Means for playing back the recorded messages by remote control over a telephone line H04M1/658 takes precedence
• 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 1/3271 Telephone answering machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32726 signals other than facsimile protocol signals, e.g. DTMF signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32728 an off-hook condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32732 within a predetermined time

Abstract

A communication apparatus includes a voice communication means and a data communication means. A detection means detect a signal relating to the data communication during voice communication by the voice communication means, and a control means effects data communication in accordance with the output of the detection means.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

data communication means for communicating data;

voice communication means for communicating voice;

speech means for communicating speech;

setting means responsive to an incoming call for first setting said apparatus in any one of a manual communication mode in which an operator answers a communication request from a calling station by said speech means, an auto-data communication mode in which said data communication means automatically answers a communication request from a calling station, or an auto-voice communication mode in which said voice communication means automatically answers a communication request from a calling station;

detecting means for detecting a signal relating to data communication from a calling station; and

control means for selecting the auto-voice communication mode by said voice communication means or the data communication mode by said data communication means, wherein said control means switches said apparatus from the voice communication mode to the data communication mode in response to the detection of said signal by said detection means in the auto-voice communication mode.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising monitor means for distinguishably outputting a signal sent from a calling station during the auto-voice communication mode by voice communication means.

3. A communication apparatus comprising:

data communication means for communicating data;

voice communication means for communicating voice;

speech means for communication speech;

setting means responsive to an incoming call for first setting said apparatus in any one of a manual communication mode in which an operator answers a communication request from a calling station by said speech means, an auto-data communication mode in which said data communication means automatically answers a communication request from a calling station or an auto-voice communication mode in which said voice communication means automatically answers a communication request from a calling station.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising monitor means for distinguishably outputting a signal sent from a calling station, wherein said monitor means is automatically enabled by said setting means when said apparatus is set in the auto-voice communication mode.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said voice communication means includes means for recording voice sent from a calling station and means for reproducing recorded voice;

and

records, reproduces or records and reproduces that voice in accordance with a command signal sent from the calling station.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data communication request signal indicates that the calling station is non-voice terminal.