Communication apparatus having a redial function and a simplified-dial-number registration function

• US 5,394,462 A
• Filed: 02/03/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Maemura, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/012,755
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/142, 379/216, 379/354, 379/356, 379/358
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27457 Management thereof, e.g. manual editing of data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27467 Methods of retrieving data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32058 Abbreviated dialing, e.g. one-touch dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32074 Redialing, e.g. after failure to make a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32791 Arrangements for reducing the handshaking procedure or protocol time

Abstract

A communication apparatus, performing a communication with a remote terminal by establishing a communication channel by calling the dial-number of the terminal, in which a dial-number stored in a redial memory can be directly transferred to a registration memory. The communication apparatus comprises a redialing unit for dialing a previously dialed dial-number stored in a redial memory, and a dialing unit for dialing a registered dial-number, stored in a registration memory, by operating a predetermined key. The communication apparatus further comprises a registration unit for performing registration of a dial-number to be used by the dialing unit by directly transferring the dial-number from the redial memory to the registration memory.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus performing communication with a remote terminal by establishing a communication channel by calling the dial-number of said remote terminal, which communication apparatus comprising:

a redialing means for dialing a previously dialed dial-number by operating a redial key, said dial-number having been stored in a redial memory;

a registered dial-number dialing means for dialing a registered dial-number by operating a predetermined key, said registered dial-number having been stored in a registration memory;

a registration means for registering a dial-number to be used by said registered dial-number dialing means by directly transferring said dial-number from said redial memory to said registration memory; and

means for storing capability information including protocol data of said called terminal to said redial memory, said capability information being transferred to said registration memory by said registration means together with the corresponding dial-number so that a regular transmission protocol procedure is simplified by using said capability information stored in said registration memory when a transmission to a remote terminal is performed by said registered dial-number dialing means.

2. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for comparing a new dial-number being registered with each of said dial-numbers already stored in said registration memory so that duplicate registration of the same dial-number is prevented by notifying the operator of said communication apparatus of the existence of the same dial-number in said registration memory.

3. A communication apparatus performing communication with a remote terminal by establishing a communication channel by calling the dial-number of said remote terminal, which communication apparatus comprising:

a redialing means for dialing a previously dialed dial-number by operating a redial key, said dial-number having been stored in a redial memory;

a registered dial-number dialing means for dialing a registered dial-number by operating a predetermined key, said registered dial-number having been stored in a registration memory;

a registration means for registering a dial-number to be used by said registered dial-number dialing means by directly transferring said dial-number from said redial memory to said registration memory; and

means for storing identification information which identifies the called terminal, received from said called terminal in accordance with a transmission control procedure, to said redial memory, said identification information being transferred to said registration memory together with the corresponding dial-number, said identification information being used when an operation of calling a remote terminal is performed by said registered dial-number dialing means.

4. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means for storing capability information including protocol data of said called terminal to said redial memory, said capability information being transferred to said registration memory by said registration means together with the corresponding dial-number so that a regular transmission protocol procedure is simplified by using said capability information stored in said registration memory when a transmission to a remote terminal is performed by said registered dial-number dialing means.

5. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means for comparing a new dial-number being registered with each of said dial-numbers already stored in said registration memory so that duplicate registration of the same dial-number is prevented by notifying the operator of said communication apparatus of the existence of the same dial-number in said registration memory.

6. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said redial memory stores a plurality of dial-numbers and identification information corresponding to each of said dial-numbers, said communication apparatus further comprising displaying means for displaying said identification information together with the corresponding dial-number so that the operator can recognize the desired dial-number by seeing said identification information displayed by said displaying means.

7. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said redial memory stores a plurality of dial-numbers and said redial memory further stores identification information and capability information corresponding to each of said dial-numbers, said communication apparatus further comprising displaying means for displaying said identification information together with the corresponding dial-number so that the operator can recognize the desired dial-number by seeing said identification information displayed by said displaying means.

8. A communication apparatus, comprising:

means for calling a terminal;

first receiving means for receiving identification information from the terminal which has been called by the means for calling;

first means for storing the received identification information in a memory;

wherein said means for calling uses the stored identification information after the first means for storing the received identification information stores the received identification information;

said communication apparatus further comprising;

a redialing means for dialing a previously dialed number which has been stored in a redial memory;

a registered dial-number dialing means for dialing a registered dial-number which has been stored in a registration memory; and

a transfer means for transferring said dial-number from said redial memory to said registration memory and for transferring the identification information to said registration memory;

wherein said means for calling uses one of said redialing means and the and the registered dial-number dialing means when calling the terminal.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

second receiving means for receiving a specification describing capabilities of said terminal including protocol data of said terminal;

second means for storing the received specification in the memory;

wherein said means for calling uses the stored specification after the second means for storing stores the received specification.

10. A communication apparatus, comprising:

means for calling a terminal;

first receiving means for receiving a specification describing capabilities of said terminal including protocol data of said terminal;

first means for storing the received specification in a memory;

wherein said means for calling uses the stored specification after the first means for storing the received specification stores the received identification information;

said communication apparatus further comprising;

a redialing means for dialing a previously dialed number which has been stored in a redial memory;

a registered dial-number dialing means for dialing a registered dial-number which has been stored in a registration memory; and

a transfer means for transferring said dial-number from said redial memory to said registration memory and for transferring the specification to said registration memory;

wherein said means for calling uses one of said redialing means and the and the registered dial-number dialing means when calling the terminal.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

second receiving means for receiving identification information from the terminal which has been called by the means for calling;

second means for storing the received identification information in the memory;

wherein said means for calling uses the stored identification information after the second means for storing stores the received specification.