Data communication apparatus and method capable of selecting a communication database in accordance with an attribute of a destination

• US 5,949,978 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Koichi, Shoji, Fumio, Matsueda, Kazutaka, Yamamuro, Soichi, Kondo, Masaya, Saruwatari, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US08/723,521
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 358/402, 358/256, 358/400, 395/200.58, 395/181, 395/183.01, 395/183.15, 395/200.14, 395/200.17, 395/200.61, 370/338, 370/349, 707/1, 707/10, 709/231, 709/228, 714/39
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33338 adapting to particular facsimile group, e.g. G3
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

When data is to be sent from a communication apparatus connected to a local area network (LAN) to a destination communication apparatus via a communication line, communication parameters related to the destination communication apparatus are inquired to a predetermined terminal apparatus upon reception of a transmission request from a terminal apparatus connected to the LAN. Communication control of the data is performed in accordance with the transmission request based on the communication parameters obtained by the inquiry. Also transmission control of the data is performed in accordance with a communication mode decided based upon the result of an interpretation of reception capability of the destination communication apparatus.

Claims

1. Data communication apparatus connected to a local area network (LAN) for transmitting data to a destination communication apparatus via a communication line, comprising:

reception means for receiving a transmission request from a first terminal apparatus connected to the LAN;

determination means for determining whether or not a predetermined identifier is included in the transmission request received by said reception means;

inquiry means for inquiring for communication parameters related to the destination communication apparatus, to a predetermined second terminal apparatus connected to the LAN; and

control means for performing communication control of the data in accordance with the transmission request,

wherein if it is determined by said determination means that the predetermined identifier is included in the received data, said control means performs communication control based on the communication parameters obtained by said inquiry means, while if it is determined by said determination means that the predetermined identifier is not included in the received data, said control means performs communication control based on communication parameters included in the transmission request received by said reception means.

2. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second terminal apparatus is a communication management server which entirely manages the communication parameters, and

wherein said control means inquires upon reception of the transmission request, for communication parameters to the communication management server corresponding to the destination communication apparatus and begins the communication control.

3. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising register means for registering a transmission result obtained in response to the transmission request in the second terminal apparatus, as a communication history.

4. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising register means for registering a transmission result obtained in response to the transmission request in the predetermined terminal apparatus connected to the LAN, as a communication history.

5. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said LAN is a wired LAN.

6. The data communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said LAN is a wireless LAN.

7. Data communication apparatus connected to a local area network (LAN) for transmitting data to a destination communication apparatus via a communication line, comprising:

request means for requesting transmission of predetermined parameters to a specified terminal apparatus on the LAN;

interpret means for interpreting reception capability of the destination communication apparatus in accordance with the parameters;

decision means for determining a communication mode based on the reception capability;

control means for performing transmission control of the data in accordance with the communication mode;

determination means for determining whether or not the reception capability, interpreted by said interpret means, has been changed based on the transmission control performed by said control means; and

notification means for notifying the specified terminal that the reception capability has been changed, if it is determined that the reception capability has been changed by said determination means.

8. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the interpretation of the reception capability is executed upon beginning of the transmission control, if reception capability of the destination communication apparatus which is predeterminedly managed, is different from the reception capability obtained by said interpretation at the time of controlling the transmission.

9. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the parameters are stored in a specified terminal apparatus on the LAN, in a form of a list where said parameters correspond to an ID (identification) and a name in abbreviated form of the destination communication apparatus.

10. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said data is image data and said control means performs data conversion of the image data in accordance with the reception capability.

11. The data communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the destination communication apparatus is a facsimile apparatus and said control means converts an image size of the image data in accordance with the reception capability of the facsimile apparatus in G3 or G4 mode.

12. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising register means for registering a transmission result obtained in response to the transmission request in the predetermined terminal apparatus connected to the LAN, as a communication history.

13. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising notifying means for notifying the predetermined parameters to all terminal apparatuses connected to the LAN.

14. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the LAN is a wired LAN.

15. The data communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the LAN is a wireless LAN.

16. Data communication method for transmitting data from a data communication apparatus connected to a local area network (LAN) to a destination communication apparatus via a communication line, comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission request from a first terminal apparatus connected to the LAN;

determining whether or not a predetermined identifier is included in the transmission request received in said receiving step;

inquiring for communication parameters related to the destination communication apparatus to a predetermined second terminal apparatus connected to the LAN; and

performing communication control of the data in accordance with the transmission request,

wherein if it is determined in said determining step that the predetermined identifier is included in the received data, communication control is performed in said performing step based on the communication parameters obtained in said inquiring step, while if it is determined in said determining step that the predetermined identifier is not included in the received data, communication control is performed in said performing step based on communication parameters included in the transmission request received in said receiving step.

17. Data communication method for transmitting data from a data communication apparatus connected to a local area network (LAN) to a destination communication apparatus via a communication line, comprising the steps of:

requesting transmission of predetermined parameters to a specified terminal apparatus on the LAN;

interpreting reception capability of the destination communication apparatus in accordance with the parameters;

determining a communication mode based on the reception capability;

performing transmission control of the data in accordance with the communication mode;

determining whether or not the reception capability, interpreted in said interpreting step, has been changed based on the transmission control performed in said performing step; and

notifying the specified terminal that the reception capability has been changed, if it is determined that the reception capability has been changed in said determining step.

18. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program to make a computer transmit data to a destination communication apparatus connected with a local area network (LAN), said program comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission request from a first terminal apparatus connected to the LAN;

determining whether or not a predetermined identifier is included in the transmission request received in said receiving step;

inquiring for communication parameters related to the destination communication apparatus to a predetermined second terminal apparatus connected to the LAN; and

performing communication control of the data in accordance with the transmission request,

wherein if it is determined in said determining step that the predetermined identifier is included in the received data, communication control is performed in said performing step based on the communication parameters obtained in said inquiring step, while if it is determined in said determining step that the predetermined identifier is not included in the received data, communication control is performed in said performing step based on communication parameters included in the transmission request received in said receiving step.

19. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program to make a computer transmit data to a destination communication apparatus connected with a local area network (LAN), said program comprising the steps of:

requesting transmission of predetermined parameters to a specified terminal apparatus on the LAN;

interpreting reception capability of the destination communication apparatus in accordance with the parameters;

determining a communication mode based on the reception capability;

performing transmission control of the data in accordance with the communication mode;

determining whether or not the reception capability, interpreted in said interpreting step, has been changed based on the transmission control performed in said performing step; and

notifying the specified terminal that the reception capability has been changed, if it is determined that the reception capability has been changed in said determining step.