Facsimile interfaced to information processing apparatus

• US 5,991,052 A
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xaraz Properties LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hobo, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASKINS, TWYLER LAMB
• Application Number:
  US08/881,375
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 358/442, 358/407, 358/404, 358/444, 358/440, 358/468, 358/402, 358/457
• US Class Current: 358/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00238 using an image reproducing device as a local output from a computer output via network, e.g. network printing H04N1/00233
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus

Abstract

A facsimile apparatus is connected to an information processing apparatus, such as a computer, which executes a communication protocol defined by a general-purpose communication application software program. The facsimile apparatus includes an own number memory which stores an own number, and determines whether or not an addressing number sent by the computer corresponds with the own number. When the own number and the addressing number do not correspond with each other, the facsimile apparatus transmits image data sent from the computer to another facsimile apparatus which is indicated by the addressing number. If the own number and the addressing number correspond with each other, the facsimile apparatus responds to the computer with dummy response information, and image data is sent from the computer to a printer to be printed out.

Claims

1. First facsimile apparatus comprising:

an interface for receiving, without using telephone lines, image data from an information processing apparatus which executes a general-purpose facsimile communication application software program including a transmission function by which document image data produced by said information processing apparatus can be transmitted to a second facsimile apparatus via said first facsimile apparatus, and a reception function by which document image data sent to said first facsimile apparatus from a second facsimile apparatus can be written in a memory included in said information processing apparatus, said information processing apparatus sending to said first facsimile apparatus document image data together with addressing information utilizing said transmission function of said general purpose facsimile communication application software program;

a print means for printing out image data;

a holding means for holding self identification information for identifying said first facsimile apparatus;

determination means for determining whether or not the facsimile addressing information provided by said information processing apparatus corresponds to said self identification information of said first facsimile apparatus, said determination means producing a first signal when there is correspondence and a second signal when there is no correspondence;

a first means responsive to said first signal for sending first response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that said document image data received from said information processing apparatus is to be printed by said print means;

an image data supplying means responsive to said first signal for supplying said document image data from said information processing apparatus to said print means;

a second means responsive to said second signal for sending second response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that said document image data received from said information processing apparatus is to be transmitted to a second facsimile apparatus remote from said first facsimile apparatus; and

a transmission means responsive to said second signal for transmitting said document image data provided by said information processing apparatus to said second facsimile apparatus.

2. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second means responsive to said second signal for sending second response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that image data information received from said information processing apparatus is to be sent to a remote facsimile apparatus;

and

a transmission means responsive to said second signal for transmitting the image data from said information processing apparatus to another facsimile apparatus remote from said first facsimile apparatus.

3. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first response information includes first ability information indicative of at least one ability characteristic of said first facsimile apparatus.

4. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second response information includes second ability information indicative of at least one ability characteristic of said another facsimile apparatus.

5. A method for controlling a first facsimile apparatus having self-identification addressing information and a print means for printing-out image data, the first facsimile apparatus being coupled without using telephone lines to an information processing apparatus which executes a general-purpose facsimile communication application software program, including a transmission function by which document image data produced by said information processing apparatus can be transmitted to a second facsimile apparatus via said first facsimile apparatus and a reception function by which document image data sent to said first facsimile apparatus from a second facsimile apparatus can be written in a memory included in said information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

sending from said information processing apparatus to said first facsimile apparatus document image data together with addressing information utilizing said transmission function of said general purpose facsimile communication application software program, including the steps of;

(a) determining at said first facsimile apparatus whether or not facsimile addressing information sent from said information processing apparatus corresponds to the self identification address information identifying said first facsimile apparatus;

(b) sending first response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that the document image data from said information processing apparatus is to be printed by said print means when it is determined that said facsimile transmission addressing information corresponds to said self identification information in said step (a) and

(c) supplying the document image data from said information processing apparatus to said print means when it is determined that said facsimile transmission addressing information corresponds to said self identification information in said step (a);

sending second response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that said document image data received from said information processing apparatus is to be transmitted to a second facsimile apparatus remote from said first facsimile apparatus; and

transmitting said document image data provided by said information processing apparatus to said second facsimile apparatus.

9. A method as in claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

sending second response information to said information processing apparatus when it is determined that said addressing information received from said information processing apparatus does not correspond to said self identification information; and

transmitting the image data from said information processing apparatus to another facsimile apparatus remote from said first facsimile apparatus when it is determined that said addressing information received from said information processing apparatus does not correspond to said self identification information.

10. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said first response information includes first ability information indicative of at least one ability characteristic of said first facsimile apparatus.

11. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second response information includes second ability information indicative of at least one ability characteristic of said another facsimile apparatus.

6. First facsimile apparatus comprising:

an interface for receiving without using telephone lines image data from an information processing apparatus which executes a general-purpose facsimile communication application software program including providing facsimile transmission addressing information;

print means for printing out image data;

a holding means for holding self identification information for identifying said first facsimile apparatus;

determination means for determining whether or not facsimile addressing information received from said information processing apparatus corresponds to said first facsimile apparatus self identification information, said determination means producing a first signal when there is correspondence and a second signal when there is no correspondence;

a first means responsive to said first signal for sending first response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that image data received from said information processing is to be printed;

an image data supplying means responsive to said first signal for supplying image data from said information processing apparatus to said print means for printing;

a second means responsive to said second signal for sending second response information to said information processing apparatus indicating that image data received from said information processing apparatus is to be transmitted to another facsimile apparatus remote from said first apparatus; and

a transmission means responsive to said second signal for transmitting the image data from said information processing apparatus to another facsimile apparatus remote from said first facsimile apparatus.

7. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first response information includes first ability information indicative of at least one ability characteristic of said first facsimile apparatus.

8. A first facsimile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said second response information includes second ability information indicative of at least one ability characteristic of said another facsimile apparatus.