Terminal coupled to integrated services digital network having confirmation call operation

• US 6,067,172 A
• Filed: 06/13/1996
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Madeleine
• Application Number:
  US08/662,609
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 358/442, 358/434, 358/435, 358/444, 358/468, 358/404, 358/524, 358/400, 358/405, 358/406, 379/100.01, 379/100.14, 379/100.15, 379/100.12
• US Class Current: 358/442
• 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 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33376 according to characteristics or state of one of the communicating parties, e.g. available memory capacity

Abstract

A terminal, such as a group 4 (G4) facsimile, coupled to an integrated services digital network has a function for setting up a confirmation call for automatically detecting a change of a different terminal, from a group 3 (G3) facsimile to a G4 facsimile. The G4 facsimile has a memory for memorizing information of a different terminal, such as, for example, a calling number, a short formed calling number under an abbreviated dialing mode, and a corresponding identification whether the different terminal conforms to a G3 or G4 facsimile procedure. The G4 facsimile sets up a confirmation call under the G4 facsimile procedure to confirm whether or not the different terminal has been updated to a G4 facsimile, only at a time of when the different terminal is identified as being conformable to the G3 facsimile procedure by the identification, and, optionally, when an arbitrary time period, which is memorized in the calling G4 facsimile, is exceeded. Upon succeeding in connecting to the different terminal by the confirmation call, the G4 facsimile carries on data transmission until completing the call process, and also updates the identification.

Claims

1. A terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data, comprising:

memorizing means for memorizing in a memory a number of a called facsimile terminal to be called, and an indication of a facsimile procedure of the called facsimile terminal; and

confirmation call means for executing a confirmation call at one of an arbitrary timing set by an operator not based on transmission control for image information transmission and an arbitrary default time not based on transmission control for image information transmission under a group 4 (G4) facsimile procedure to the called facsimile when the memory indicates that the called facsimile machine has a group 3 (G3) facsimile procedure.

2. The terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the confirmation call means includes an input means for allowing an operator to input the arbitrary timing to execute the confirmation call.

3. A method for controlling a terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data, comprising the steps of:

memorizing a number of the called facsimile terminal to be called, and an indication of a facsimile procedure of the called facsimile terminal; and

executing a confirmation call at one of an arbitrary timing set by an operator not based on transmission control for image information transmission and an arbitrary default time not based on transmission control for image information transmission under a group 4 (G4) facsimile procedure to the called facsimile when the memory indicates that the called facsimile machine has a group 3 (G3) facsimile procedure.

4. The method for controlling a terminal apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising the step of allowing an operator to input the arbitrary timing to execute the confirmation call.

5. A terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data coupled, through a single communication line, to an integrated services digital network (ISDN), comprising:

ISDN interface means, coupled to said ISDN, for executing a transmission control procedure conforming to an ISDN structured architecture;

first control means for executing a first communication control suitable for exchanging data with a first called terminal coupled to said ISDN for transmitting and receiving image data through said ISDN;

second control means for executing a second communication control suitable for exchanging data with a second called terminal coupled to an analog telephone line network for transmitting and receiving image data through said ISDN and an analog telephone line network;

converting means for converting a plurality of analog signals into digital data suitable for transmitting through said ISDN, a plurality of said analog signals comprising an input signal from said ISDN to said second control means;

switching means for selectively switching between said first control means and second control means to be coupled to said ISDN interface means;

memorizing means for memorizing at least one calling number and an identification of one of said first called terminal coupled to said ISDN and said second called terminal coupled to said analog telephone line network, said identification identifying a transmitting procedure of the called terminal, said memorizing means memorizing a time when said identification is memorized; and

confirmation call means for executing a confirmation call at one of an arbitrary timing set by an operator not based on transmission control for image information transmission and an arbitrary default time not based on transmission control for image information transmission under a group 4 (G4) facsimile procedure, only when an identification corresponding to said called terminal identifies that the called terminal is a group 3 (G3) facsimile procedure terminal.

6. The terminal apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

inputting means for inputting, correspondingly to each calling number, the arbitrary timing to execute the confirmation call, said time being memorized in said memorizing means.

7. The terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data according to claim 5, wherein said transmission control procedure executed by said ISDN interface means conforms to a physical layer, a data-link layer, and a network layer of said ISDN structured architecture for a group 4 facsimile machine as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

8. The terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data according to claim 5, wherein said first communication control conforms to a transport layer, a session layer, a presentation layer and an application layer of said ISDN structured architecture for a group 4 facsimile machine as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

9. The terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data according to claim 5, wherein said first communication control conforms to a group 4 facsimile procedure as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

10. The terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data according to claim 5, wherein said second communication control conforms to a group 3 facsimile procedure as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

11. The terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data according to claim 5, wherein said memorizing means changes said identification that said called terminal is coupled to said ISDN when said confirmation call, which is executed by said confirmation call setting up means, is successful.

12. The terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data according to claim 5, wherein said switching means selects said second control means at a time when said called terminal is a G3 facsimile procedure terminal.

13. A method for controlling a terminal apparatus for transmitting and receiving image data coupled to an integrated services digital network (ISDN) through a single communication line, comprising the steps of:

executing a first communication control for exchanging data with a first called terminal coupled to said ISDN for transmitting and receiving image data through said ISDN;

executing a second communication control suitable for exchanging data with a second called terminal coupled to an analog telephone line network for transmitting and receiving image data through said ISDN and an analog telephone network;

memorizing at least one calling number and an identification of one of said first called terminal coupled to said ISDN and said second called terminal coupled to said analog telephone line network, and a time when said identification is memorized, said identification identifying a transmitting procedure of the called terminal and;

executing a confirmation call at one of an arbitrary timing set by an operator not based on transmission control for image information transmission and an arbitrary default time not based on transmission control for image information transmission under a group 4 (G4) facsimile procedure only when an identification corresponding to said called terminal identifies that the called terminal is a group 3 (G3) facsimile procedure to terminal.

14. The method for controlling a terminal apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

inputting, correspondingly to each calling number, the arbitrary timing to execute the confirmation call, said time period being memorized in said memorizing step.

15. The method for controlling a terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said step of executing a first communication control conforms to a transport layer, a session layer, a presentation layer and an application layer of said ISDN structured architecture for a group 4 facsimile machine as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

16. The method for controlling a terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said step of executing a first communication control conforms to a group 4 facsimile procedure as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

17. The method for controlling a terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said step of executing a second communication control conforms to a group 3 facsimile procedure as prescribed by CCITT recommendations.

18. The method for controlling a terminal apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said step of memorizing said calling number and said identification changes said identification that said called terminal is coupled to said ISDN when said confirmation call, which is executed in said step of setting up a confirmation call, is successful.