Data communication apparatus

• US 4,974,097 A
• Filed: 12/06/1989
• Issued: 11/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Amakasu, Atsushi, Kaneko, Yoji, Haganuma, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT II, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US07/453,128
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 358/75, 358/78, 358/400, 358/442, 358/407, 358/256, 358/257, 358/401, 358/405, 358/406, 379/100, 379/98, 379/97, 379/96, 340/825, 370/24
• US Class Current: 358/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00095 Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32797 Systems adapted to communicate over more than one channel, e.g. via ISDN changing transmission mode according to type of channel H04N2201/33364; multichannel or multilink communication protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33338 adapting to particular facsimile group, e.g. G3

Abstract

A data communication apparatus includes a reader, a mode change unit, a GIII facsimile controller connected to a telephone line, a GIV facsimile controller connected to a data line, and a printer. The mode change unit includes a mode change controller, a dummy reader, a dummy printer, resolution converters, and switches. The mode change controller connects the GIII or GIV facsimile controller to the reader and the printer. The facsimile controller which is not connected to the reader and the printer is connected to the dummy reader and the dummy printer. The resolution converters convert resolutions of the data so as to match a source apparatus with a destination apparatus.

Claims

1. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication line;

a second communication line;

first data communication control means for controlling non-voice data communication through said first communication line;

second data communication control means for controlling non-voice data communication through said second communication line, said second data communication control means performing non-voice data communication in accordance with a communication procedure of a type different from that of said first data communication control means;

input means for inputting data;

output means for outputting data; and

mode change control means for changing over said first and second data communication control means so as to connect said first or second data communication control means to said input and output means,

wherein said first data communication control means and said second data communication control means can operate in parallel to perform said first non-voice data communication and said second non-voice data communication at the same time.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mode change control means connects one of said input means and said output means with said first data communication control means and connects the other of said input means and said output means with said second communication control means to permit said first and second data communication at the same time.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising mode change designating means for designating a mode change, said mode change control means performing changeover on the basis of a mode change designation signal from said mode change designating means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying changeover states of said first and second communication control means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing data from one of said first and second communication control means when said output means is used by the other one of said first and second communication control means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising converting means for converting the data input from said input means when the data from said input means is to be communicated by predetermined data communication control means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising converting means for converting data output from predetermined data communication control means when said output means is to output the data.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said converting means converts a resolution of the data.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transferring data from said one data communication means to said other communication means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for converting transfer data when the data is to be transferred by said transferring means.

11. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of communication lines;

input means for inputting data;

output means for outputting data;

a plurality of communication control means respectively corresponding to said plurality of communication lines, said communication means being operable in parallel and performing respective different types of data communication independently;

memory means for storing data; and

mode change means for connecting one of said plurality of communication control means to said input and output means,

wherein when one of said communication control means receives data during data output through said output means by another of said plurality of communication control means, said memory means stores the data received by said one communication control means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising mode change designating means for designating a mode change, said mode change control means performing changeover on the basis of a mode change designation. signal from said mode change designating means.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising display means for displaying changeover states of siad plurality of communication control means.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising converting means for converting the data input from said input means when the data from said input means is to be communicated by predetermined data communication control means.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising converting means for converting data output from predetermined data communication control means when said output means is to output the data.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said converting means converts a resolution of the data.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for transferring data from said one data communication means to said other communication means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising means for converting transfer data when the data is to be transferred by said transferring means.

19. A data communication apparatus comprising:

first and second communication lines;

first non-voice data communication means for performing non-voice communication through said first communication line;

second non-voice data communication means for performing non-voice data communication through said second communication line, said second non-voice data communication means performing non-voice data communication in accordance with a communication procedure of a type different from that of said first data communication means;

input means for inputting data;

output means for outputting data;

connect means for selectively connecting said input means and said output means with said first non-voice data communication means or said second non-voice data communication means; and

memory means for storing data therein;

wherein said first non-voice data communication means and said second non-voice data communication means can operate in parallel; and

wherein, when one of said first and second non-voice data communication means receives data during data output through said output means by the other of said first and second non-voice data communication means, said memory means stores the data received by said one of said first and second non-voice data communication means.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising mode change designating means for designating a mode change, said connect means performing its connection operation on the basis of a mode change designation signal from said mode change designating means.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising display means for displaying changeover states of said first and second data communication means,

22. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising converting means for converting the data input from said input means when the data from said input means is to be communicated by predetermined data communication control means.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein said connect means connects said input means with one of said first and second data communication means and connects said output means with the other of said first and second data communication means so that the transmission of data input through said input means and the output of received data through said output means is permitted in parallel at the same time.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said connect means performs its connection operation in response to request signals from said first and second data communication means.

25. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising converting means for converting data output from predetermined data communication control means when said output means is to output the data.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said converting means converts a resolution of the data.

27. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising means for transferring data from said one data communication means to said other communication means.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising means for converting transfer data when the data is to be transferred by said transferring means.

29. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a first communication line;

a second communication line;

first data communication control means for controlling data communication through said first data communication line;

second data communication control means for controlling data communication through said second data communication line;

input means for inputting data;

output means for outputting data;

mode change control means for change over said first and second communication control means so as to connect said first or second communication control to said input and output means; and

dummy input means and dummy output means, both of which output response signals in response to signals from said first and second communication control means, said mode change control means connecting said dummy input and output means to one of the first and second communication control means which is not connected to said input and output means.

30. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of communication lines;

input means for inputting data;

output means for outputting data;

a plurality of communication control means respectively corresponding to said plurality of communication lines;

a plurality of storage means for storing different types of data;

mode change means for connecting one of said plurality of communication control means to said input and output means, wherein communication data from said plurality of communication control means are stored in said plurality of storage means in accordance with the types of data; and

dummy input and dummy output means, both of which output response signals in response to signals from said plurality of communication control means, said mode change control means connecting said dummy input and output means to one of said plurality of communication means which is not connected to said input and output means.