Communication system

• US 5,717,493 A
• Filed: 01/03/1995
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Graphic Communication Systems, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanamori, Yosuke, Ozawa, Masatoshi, Fukaya, Hideyuki, Imanishi, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH-VINH THI
• Application Number:
  US08/367,926
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/403, 358/402, 358/405, 358/401, 358/435, 358/440, 379/219, 379/100, 379/92, 379/123, 379/13
• US Class Current: 358/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32782 using a tone- or pulse-coded request

Abstract

A communication system that efficiently monitors a tones of a push-button phone which are sent from a facsimile or an adapter. The system further prevents a user from becoming offended by transmitting holding tones or music to a terminal during a period of time taken from retrieving and transferring image information.

Claims

1. A facsimile system comprising:

a private network;

a plurality of intra-network terminals available to individuals and connected to the private network, wherein at least one of said intra-network terminals is utilized as a sending terminal by a sending individual for inputting and transmitting documents and a corresponding password, and at least one of said intra-network terminals is utilized as a receiving terminal by a receiving individual to receive the documents; and

an intra-network center for temporarily storing the documents and password, forwarding the documents to the receiving terminal in response to the entry of the password in the receiving terminal by the receiving individual, and charging the sending individual and the receiving individual;

wherein, when the sending terminal transmits the documents to the intra-network center, the intra-network center calculates a first charge for storing the documents and notifies the sending individual of the first charge, and, when the receiving terminal receives the documents from the intra-network center, the intra-network center calculates a second charge for forwarding the documents and notifies the receiving individual of the second charge.

2. A facsimile system according to claim 1, wherein the intra-network center calculates the first charge when the receiving terminal receives all the documents transmitted by the sending terminal and the documents are complete.

3. A facsimile system according to claim 1, wherein the intra-network center notifies the sending individual and the receiving individual of the first charge and the second charge, respectively, using a bar code to enable the first charge and the second charge to be registered in a cash register.

4. A facsimile system according to claim 1, wherein in receiving all documents that the sending individual transmits using the sending terminal, the intra-network center stores the received documents, and in failing to receive all the documents, the intra-network center cancels the received documents.