Communication apparatus

• US 5,239,576 A
• Filed: 09/18/1991
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Makoto, Ono, Takeshi, Takeda, Tomoyuki, Yoshida, Takehiro, Kondo, Masaya, Otsuki, Shinnichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shehata, M.
• Application Number:
  US07/761,645
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 379/354, 379/355, 379/356, 379/216, 379/100, 379/93, 379/95, 379/96, 358/440
• US Class Current: 379/355.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• 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 1/32717 a calling tone, e.g. CI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32728 an off-hook condition

Abstract

Communication equipment in which first and second telephone number data is registered by a single selection key and first and second telephone number data is selected and dialed according to selection key input includes a data communication device and a conversation communication device. A first detector detects the hook state of the conversation communication device and a second detector detects the presence or absence of data. In response to the selection key input to dial the selected telephone number, a controller selects either the first or the second telephone number data according to the operation of the first and second detectors.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus in which at least first and second telephone number data can be registered in a single selection key and in which either of the first and second telephone number data is selected and dialed in accordance with an input of the selection key, comprising:

data communication means for performing data communication;

speech communication means for performing speech communication;

first detection means for detecting a hook state of the speech communication means;

second detecting means for detecting presence or absence of data; and

control means for selecting one of the first and second telephone number data in accordance with the detections made by said first and second detecting means in response to the input of the selection key and for dialing the telephone number,

wherein the first telephone number data comprises a number for speech communication and the second telephone number data comprises a number for data communication, and

wherein said control means selects and dials the second telephone number data when an on-hook state is detected by said first detecting means.

2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means automatically performs either data communications or data reception conducted in accordance with the detection made by said second detection means after dialing.

3. A communication apparatus having an automatic dialing function, capable of both data communication and speech communication, comprising:

setting means for setting first data representing that a telephone number can be used for speech communication, second data representing that a telephone number for automatic dialing can be used for data communication and third data representing that a telephone number can be used for both speech communication and data communication; and

dialing means for performing dialing in accordance with the first, second and third data set by said setting means.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said dialing means selects the telephone number associated with one of the first data and the third data set by said setting means when automatic dialing is performed for speech communication.

5. The communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said dialing means selects the telephone number associated with one of the second and the third data set by said setting means when automatic dialing is performed for data communication.

6. A communication apparatus in which a plurality of telephone numbers can be registered in a single abbreviated dialing key, comprising:

means for setting a time;

means for determining a current time; and

means for comparing the current time with the set time, to select one of the plurality of telephone numbers in accordance with the results of the comparison when the abbreviated dialing key is operated, and for dialing the selected telephone number.

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

means for setting a predetermined date or day of the week; and

means for counting a current date or day of the week,

wherein the current date and the set date or the current day of the week and the set day of the week are compared with each other, and one of the plurality of telephone numbers is selected and dialed in accordance with the results of the comparison when the abbreviated dialing key is operated.

8. In communication apparatus having data communication and speech communication devices wherein at least first and second telephone number data can be registered by a single selection key and wherein one of the first and second telephone number data is selected in accordance with an input of the selection key, a communication method comprising the steps of:

detecting a hook state of the speech communication device;

detecting presence of data for data communication;

selecting one of the first and second telephone number data in accordance with the detected hook state and the detected presence of data in response to the selection key input; and

dialing the selected telephone number,

wherein the first telephone number data is a number for speech communication and the second telephone number data is a number for data communication; and

wherein the second telephone number is selected when an on-hook state is detected.

9. In apparatus having automatic dialing and capable of data communication and speech communication, a communication method comprising the steps of:

setting telephone number data to one of a first data state representative of a telephone number that can be used for speech communication a second data state representative of a telephone number that can be used for data communication and a third data state representative of a telephone number that can be used for both speech communication and data communication; and

performing dialing according to the data state of the telephone number data.

10. In communication apparatus wherein a plurality of telephone numbers can be registered in a single abbreviated dialing key, a communication method comprising the steps of:

setting a time;

determining the current time;

comparing the current time with the set time to select one of the plurality of telephone numbers in accordance with the result of the comparison when the abbreviated dialing key is operated; and

dialing the selected telephone number.