Portable communication apparatus

• US 6,067,171 A
• Filed: 09/24/1996
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Yokochi, Atsushi, Yamada, Makoto, Haze, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US08/719,065
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 358/406, 358/405, 358/422, 358/407, 358/421, 358/442, 358/412, 379/102.02, 379/102.04, 455/38.2, 455/38.3, 455/66, 455/67.1, 455/574, 455/556, 455/557, 395/750
• US Class Current: 358/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00899 Detection of supply level or supply failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32368 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32614 related to a single-mode communication, e.g. at the transmitter or at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32657 locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32662 remotely, e.g. to the transmitter from the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32683 Preventive counter-measures, e.g. using redundant hardware, or anticipating a fault arrangements for keeping a communication line open H04N1/32795
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices

Abstract

To minimize an occurrence of run-out of power in a battery in the middle of communication and an occurrence of a communication error caused thereby. The residual amount of power in the battery is detected. Communication is enabled only when the residual amount of power in the battery exceeds a predetermined amount. Information relative to the residual amount of power in the battery is displayed to allow an operator to recognize the residual amount of power in the battery. Further, information relative to the residual amount of power in the battery is transmitted to the transmission side so that information in excess of the residual amount of power in the battery on the receiving side is not transmitted to the receiving side.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a battery;

a detection device that detects a residual amount of power in said battery;

a communication device that communicates with other communication devices;

a control device that controls said communication device to communicate only when an operable transmission time, determined based on the residual amount of power in said battery detected by said detection device, exceeds a required transmission time determined based on an amount of data to be communicated;

an image memory for storing image data to be transmitted; and

a transmission enabling device that enables a transmission of the image data stored in the image memory to a mating apparatus based on the determined amount of power and the residual amount of power in the battery detected by said detection device, the determined amount of power being a power that is required to transmit the amount of data corresponding to the image data stored in said image memory,

wherein said control device controlling said communication device to transmit the image data stored in the image memory only when said transmission enabling device enables the transmission.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection device detects an output voltage of the battery.

3. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmission enabling device determines that a transmission time required to transmit the image data stored in said image memory is less than an operable time that said communication apparatus can be operated by said residual amount of power in the battery detected by said detection device.

4. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image memory comprises a nonvolatile memory, if the data stored in the nonvolatile memory has not been transmitted, said control device automatically transmitting the image data stored in said nonvolatile memory when the transmission enabling device enables the transmission.

5. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a battery;

a detection device that detects a residual amount of power in said battery;

a communication device that communicates with other communication devices;

a conversion device that converts the residual amount of power in said battery detected by said detection device into information relating to said residual amount of power in said battery;

a display device that displays the information; and

a memory for storing data of document page,

wherein said conversion device converts the residual amount of power in said battery detected by said detection device into an operable time that said communication device can be operated by said residual amount of power in said battery,

wherein said conversion device converts the residual amount of power in said battery detected by said detection device into a number of sheets of document pages that can be transmitted by the communication apparatus having the residual amount of power in said battery, and

wherein said conversion device determines the number of sheets of document pages that can be transmitted based on the residual amount of power in said battery and a transmission rate of said communication device.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said conversion device has a nonvolatile memory that stores a relationship between the residual amount of power in said battery and said operable time.

7. The communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said conversion device has a nonvolatile memory that stores the relationship between the transmission rate of said communication device and a dial number of one of the other communication device.

8. A communication apparatus, comprising:

a battery;

a detection device that detects a residual amount of power in said battery;

a communication device that communicates with other communication devices; and

a response device that informs a remotely located mating communication apparatus of the residual amount of power in said battery detected by said detection device when receiving a call from the remotely located mating communication apparatus.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said detection device detects an output voltage of the battery.

10. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said response device converts the residual amount of power in the battery detected by said detection device into a number of receivable sheets and informs the remotely located mating communication apparatus of said number of receivable sheets, and said communication device receives image data transmitted from said remotely located mating communication apparatus.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said conversion device has a nonvolatile memory that stores a relationship between the residual amount of power in said battery and an operable time.

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

a display device that displays the number of said receivable sheets.

13. A communication system that provides communication between a communication apparatus that includes a battery and a separate communication apparatus, said communication apparatus comprising:

a detection device that detects a residual amount of power in said battery;

a communication device that communicates with said separate communication apparatus; and

a response device that converts the residual amount of power in said battery detected by said detection device into a number of receivable sheets when receiving a call from said separate communication apparatus, and for informing said separate apparatus of said number of receivable sheets, wherein said separate communication apparatus comprises a control device that controls said separate communication apparatus to transmit images requiring a number of sheets less than or equal to said number of receivable sheets received from said communication apparatus.

14. A communication system according to claim 13, wherein said separate communication apparatus further comprises:

a display device that displays said number of receivable sheets received from said communication apparatus.

15. A communication system according to claim 13, wherein said detection device detects an output voltage of said battery.