Communication apparatus

• US 6,281,987 B1
• Filed: 03/12/1998
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Madeleine
• Application Number:
  US09/041,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 358/434, 358/435, 358/436, 358/437, 358/440, 358/468, 358/442, 358/404, 358/400, 358/1.15, 358/405, 358/406, 379/100.01, 379/100.05, 379/100.06, 379/106.08
• US Class Current: 358/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3278 using a protocol or handshaking signal, e.g. non-standard set-up [NSS]

Abstract

There is provided a communication apparatus capable of carrying out communication for plural selective pollings in easy operations. When presence or absence of a function of plural selective pollings to be executed from a polling send station to a polling receive station is notified and communication for plural selective polling is selected by the polling receive station, plural selective pollings are executed in a communication event if the partner polling send station has the function of plural selective pollings, or the call is released each time communication of one selective polling is completed and the same destination is automatically called for the next selective polling if the partner polling send station does not have the function of plural selective pollings.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting a partner station and presence or absence of a function of plural selective pollings;

request means for always requesting the partner station to execute communication for plural selective pollings when a partner polling send station has the function of plural selective pollings; and

plural selective polling means that during one connection of a communication line to the same partner station, a polling receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to the send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein designation of other communication for plural selective pollings is permitted while the polling receive station executes the current communication.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication for plural selective pollings is executed during one communication when communication for plural selective pollings has been selected by the polling receive station and the partner polling send station has the function of plural selective pollings, or

the call is released each time communication of one selective polling is completed and the same station is automatically called for the next selective polling when communication for plural selective pollings has been selected by the polling receive station and the partner polling send station does not have the function of plural selective pollings.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the polling receive station automatically calls the same station for the number of designated selective pollings when the partner polling send station does not have the function of plural selective pollings.

4. A communication apparatus comprising:

registration means for registering information as to whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible at each calling destination; and

plural selective polling means that during one connection of a communication line to a partner station, a receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to a send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein when a calling destination is designated after selecting plural selective pollings, the polling receive station dials the calling destination if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is possible at the calling destination from the information registered in said registration means, or makes a display that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible without dialing the calling destination if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible at the calling destination.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible at the destination, the polling receive station makes a display of plural selective pollings inputted by the operator in addition to the display that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible so that the operator can select one of plural selective pollings and designate start of polling reception for having the polling receive station to dial the calling destination.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the registered information as to whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible at each calling destination is updated each time an initial identification signal is received at the time of communication.

7. A communication apparatus comprising:

registration means for registering information as to whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible at each calling destination; and

plural selective polling means that during one connection of a communication line to a partner station, a receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to a send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein when communication for plural selective pollings is selected after calling, the polling receive station determines whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible based on the information registered in said registration means before receiving an initial identification signal, and it determines whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible based on an initial identification signal after receiving the initial identification signal, and

the polling receive station executes plural selective pollings in a communication event if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is possible, or it disables the second and subsequent selective pollings and makes a display of it if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the registered information as to whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible at each calling destination is updated each time an initial identification signal is received at the time of communication.

9. A control method for a communication apparatus comprising the steps of:

registering information as to whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible at each calling destination; and

sending plural selective polling request signals from a receive station to a send station and sending plural images from the send station to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals, during one connection of a communication line to a partner station;

wherein when a calling destination is designated after selecting plural selective pollings, the polling receive station dials the calling destination if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is possible at the calling destination from the information registered in said registration means, or makes a display that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible without dialing the calling destination if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible at the calling destination.

10. A communication apparatus comprising:

a means for executing plural selecting pollings;

a means for receiving a notification of whether or not a partner station has a function of plural selective pollings to be sent from a polling send station to a polling receive station;

a means for notifying the partner polling send station of whether or not the polling receive station requests plural selecting pollings;

a means for setting and executing timer polling reception;

a means for changing, between a timer polling reception mode and a real-time polling reception mode, the contents of the notification of whether or not the polling receive stations requests plural selecting pollings; and

plural selective polling means that during one connection of a communication line to the same partner station, the receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to the send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein the polling receive station requests the polling send station to transmit plural selective pollings in the real-time polling reception mode both when selecting communication of one selective polling and when selecting communication of plural selective pollings.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the polling receive station does not request the polling send station to transmit plural selective pollings when selecting communication of one selective polling in the timer polling reception mode, or it requests the polling send station to transmit plural selective pollings when selecting communication of plural selective pollings in the timer polling reception mode.

12. A communication method comprising the steps of:

detecting a partner station and presence or absence of a function of plural selective pollings;

requesting the partner station to execute communication for plural selective pollings when a partner polling send station has the function of plural selective pollings; and

plural selective polling such that during one connection of a communication line to the same partner station, a polling receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to the send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein designation of other communication for plural selective pollings is permitted while the polling receive station executes the current communication.

13. A communication method according to claim 12, wherein

the communication for plural selective pollings is executed during one communication when communication for plural selective pollings has been selected by the polling receive station and the partner polling send station has the function of plural selective pollings, or

the call is released each time communication of one selective polling is completed and the same station is automatically called for the next selective polling when communication for plural selective pollings has been selected by the polling receive station and the partner polling send station does not have the function of plural selective pollings.

14. A communication method according to claim 13, wherein the polling receive station automatically calls the same station for the number of designated selective pollings when the partner polling send station does not have the function of plural selective pollings.

15. A communication method comprising:

a registration step for registering information as to whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible at each calling destination; and

a plural selective polling step that during one connection of a communication line to a partner station, a receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to a send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein when communication for plural selective pollings is selected after calling, the polling receive station determines whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible based on the information registered in the registration step before receiving an initial identification signal, and it determines whether or not communication for plural selective pollings is possible based on an initial identification signal after receiving the initial identification signal, and

the polling receive station executes plural selective pollings in a communication event if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is possible, or it disables the second and subsequent selective pollings and makes a display of it if it is determined that communication for plural selective pollings is impossible.

16. A communication method comprising the steps of:

executing plural selecting pollings;

receiving a notification of whether or not a partner station has a function of plural selective pollings to be sent from a polling send station to a polling receive station;

notifying the partner polling send station of whether or not the polling receive station requests plural selecting pollings;

setting and executing timer polling reception;

changing, between a timer polling reception mode and a real-time polling reception mode, the contents of the notification of whether or not the polling receive stations requests plural selecting pollings; and

plural selective polling such that during one connection of a communication line to the same partner station, the receive station sends plural selective polling request signals to the send station, and the send station sends plural images to the receive station in response to the plural selective polling request signals,

wherein the polling receive station requests the polling send station to transmit plural selective pollings in the real-time polling reception mode both when selecting communication of one selective polling and when selecting communication of plural selective pollings.

17. A communication method according to claim 16, wherein the polling receive station does not request the polling send station to transmit plural selective pollings when selecting communication of one selective polling in the timer polling reception mode, or if requests the polling send station to transmit plural selective pollings when selecting communication of plural selective pollings in the timer polling reception mode.