Communication apparatus capable of communicating data and speech selectively through single communication line

• US 5,966,430 A
• Filed: 12/15/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US08/990,921
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.09, 379/93.05, 379/93.11, 379/93.14, 379/100.15, 379/100.16, 379/100.17
• US Class Current: 379/100.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• 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 1/32721 facsimile protocol signals, e.g. DCS or TSI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32726 signals other than facsimile protocol signals, e.g. DTMF signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32728 an off-hook condition

Abstract

A facsimile apparatus has a plurality of switching modes including a first mode to select facsimile communication or speech communication in accordance with a V.8 protocol signal and a second mode to select the facsimile communication or the speech communication in accordance with a call signal pattern and selects one of the switching modes to switch between the facsimile communication and the speech communication.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus capable of selectively using a single communication line for data communication and speech communication, comprising:

data communication means for conducting data communication;

receiving means for receiving a V.8 protocol signal comprising call function data including attribute information and terminal sub-address data including sub-address information; and

control means for identifying whether a station to communicate with is a data communication terminal or a speech communication terminal based on at least one of the attribute information and the sub-address information received at the reception of a call signal and controlling said data communication means in accordance with the identification result.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising first detection means for detecting a type of call signal from said communication line wherein said control means controls said data communication means in accordance with the type of call signal detected by said first detection means.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising second detection means for detecting identification information for identifying a calling terminal from said communication line received at the reception of the call together with the call signal, and memory means for in advance storing information indicating whether the data communication is to be conducted or the speech communication is to be conducted in accordance with the identification information of the calling station wherein said control means controls said data communication means in accordance with the identification information detected by said second detection means and the information stored in said memory means.

4. A communication apparatus capable of selectively using a single communication line for data communication and speech communication, comprising:

data communication means for conducting data communication;

first detection means for detecting a type of call signal from said communication line;

receiving means for receiving a V.8 protocol signal comprising call function data including attribute information and terminal sub-address data including sub-address information; and

control means for selecting one of a plurality of modes including a first mode for identifying whether a station to communicate with is a data communication terminal or a speech communication terminal in accordance with the type of call signal detected by said first detection means and a second mode for identifying whether a station to communicate with is the data communication terminal or the speech communication terminal in accordance with at least one of the attribute information and the sub-address information received by said receiving means, and controlling said data communication means in accordance with the selected mode.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising second detection means for detecting identification information for identifying a calling terminal from said communication line received at the reception of the call together with the call signal and memory means for in advance storing information indicating whether the data communication is to be conducted or the speech communication is to be conducted in accordance with the identification information of the calling station wherein said control means has a third mode for identifying whether the station to communicate with is the data communication terminal or the speech communication terminal in accordance with the identification information detected by said second detection means and the information stored in said memory means.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising setting means for setting a priority of selection of said modes wherein said control means selects the mode in accordance with the priority set by said setting means.

7. A communication method for selectively using a single communication line for data communication and speech communication, comprising the steps of:

receiving a V.8 protocol signal comprising call function data including attribute information and terminal sub-address data including sub-address information; and

identifying whether a station to communicate with is a data communication terminal or a speech communication terminal at the reception of a call signal in accordance with at least one of the received attribute information and the received sub-address information;

selectively conducting the data communication and the speech communication in accordance with the identification result.

8. A communication method according to claim 7 further comprising the steps of detecting a type of call signal from said communication line, and

identifying whether the station to communicate with is the data communication terminal or the speech communication terminal in accordance with the detected type of call signal.

9. A communication method according to claim 8 further comprising the steps of detecting identification information for identifying a calling terminal received together with the call signal from said communication line, and

identifying whether the station to communicate with is the data communication terminal or the speech communication terminal in accordance with the detected identification information.

10. A communication method according to claim 9 wherein said conduction step selects one of a plurality of identification processes and selectively conducts the data communication and the speech communication in accordance with the identification result of the selected identification process.

11. A communication method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of setting a priority to the selection of the identification processes wherein said conduction step selects one of the identification processes in accordance with the priority.