Communication terminal device

• US 7,079,274 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Hiroyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallerson, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/115,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.12, 358/1.15, 358/407, 358/434, 358/442, 358/448, 700/2, 700/4
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33357 Compression mode

Abstract

A communication terminal device by which it is possible to reduce the communication expenses, and to improve operational performance. The communication terminal device includes a CODEC circuit which has communication ability of a V.34 mode, is formed by a hardware, and codes and decodes image data. The communication terminal device includes a CODEC program which has the communication ability equal to or lower than a V.17 mode, and codes and decodes image data. When reading an image by an image reading unit and coding the image data by the CODEC circuit, or when decoding a coded image data by the CODEC circuit and printing the image of the image data by an image printing unit, if a calling demand for the communication is generated, a main control unit waits for processing completion of coding or decoding by the CODEC circuit, and starts the calling of the communication.

Claims

1. A communication terminal device, comprising:

first codec means for coding and decoding image data, the first codec means having prescribed communication ability;

second codec means for coding and decoding image data, the second codec means having communication ability lower than the prescribed communication ability of the first codec means;

image reading means for reading a prescribed image and converting the read image into image data;

image printing means for printing an image of image data; and

control means for starting calling of communication,

wherein when the image is read by the image reading means and the converted image data is coded by the first codec means, or when coded image data is decoded by the first codec means and an image of the decoded image data is printed by the image printing means, if a calling demand of communication is generated, the control means starts calling of the communication after waiting for processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means, and

wherein when the image is read by the image reading means and the converted image data is coded by the first codec means, or when the coded image data is decoded by the first codec means and the image of the decoded image data is printed by the image printing means, if the calling demand of the communication is generated and a mode for giving priority to calling of communication has been set, the second codec means is used for coding image data to be transmitted.

2. The communication terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein the first codec means is formed by a hardware circuit, the communication terminal device further includes a storing device, and the second codec means is formed by a program of software stored in the storing device.

3. The communication terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the control means starts the calling of the communication after waiting for the processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means, and out of the first codec means and the second codec means, either which has communication ability corresponding to a machine of the other end is used for coding image data to be transmitted.

4. The communication terminal device according to claim 1,

further including a faxmodem capable of changing a communication speed at the time communication is started, or while communication is being carried out.

5. The communication terminal device according to claim 1,

wherein when the control means starts the calling of the communication, the control means causes the communication terminal device to transmit a dial signal including a telephone number of a machine of the other end.

6. A communication terminal device, comprising:

first codec means for coding and decoding image data, the first codec means having prescribed communication ability;

second codec means for coding and decoding image data, the second codec means having communication ability lower than the prescribed communication ability of the first codec means;

image reading means for reading a prescribed image and converting the read image into image data;

image printing means for printing an image of image data; and

control means for starting calling of communication,

wherein when the image is read by the image reading means and the converted image data is coded by the first codec means, or when coded image data is decoded by the first codec means and an image of the decoded image data is printed by the image printing means, if a calling demand of communication is generated, the control means starts calling of the communication after waiting for processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means, and

wherein when the image is read by the image reading means and the converted image data is coded by the first codec means, or when the coded image data is decoded by the first codec means and the image of the decoded image data is printed by the image printing means, if the calling demand of the communication is generated and a mode for giving priority to calling of communication has been set, the control means does not wait for the processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means, and starts the calling of the communication.

7. The communication terminal device according to claim 6,

wherein in a case in which the control means does not wait for the processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means, and starts the calling of the communication, the control means causes the communication terminal device to transmit a dial signal including a telephone number of a machine of the other end.

8. The communication terminal device according to claim 7,

wherein after the control means causes the communication terminal device to transmit the dial signal, the control means codes image data to be transmitted by using the second codec means, and causes the communication terminal to transmit the coded image data.

9. The communication terminal device according to claim 8,

wherein the control means causes the communication terminal device to transmit the coded image data at a communication speed equal to or lower than a V.17 mode.

10. A communication terminal device, comprising:

first codec means for coding and decoding image data, the first codec means having prescribed communication ability;

second codec means for coding and decoding image data, the second codec means having communication ability lower than the prescribed communication ability of the first codec means;

image reading means for reading a prescribed image and converting the read image into image data;

image printing means for printing an image of image data; and

control means for starting calling of communication,

wherein when the image is read by the image reading means and the converted image data is coded by the first codec means, or when coded image data is decoded by the first codec means and an image of the decoded image data is printed by the image printing means, if a calling demand of communication is generated, the control means starts calling of the communication after waiting for processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means,

wherein when the control means starts the calling of the communication, the control means causes the communication terminal device to transmit a dial signal including a telephone number of a machine of the other end, and

wherein after the communication terminal device transmits the dial signal, if the machine of the other end has ability of a V.34 mode, the control means codes image data to be transmitted by using the first codec means, and causes the communication terminal device to transmit the coded image data.

11. The communication terminal according to claim 10,

wherein after the communication terminal device transmits the dial signal, if the machine of the other end has the ability of the V.34 mode, the control means codes the image data to be transmitted by using the first codec means, and causes the communication terminal device to transmit the coded image data by facsimile at a communication speed of the V.34 mode.

12. A communication terminal device, comprising:

first codec means for coding and decoding image data, the first codec means having prescribed communication ability;

second codec means for coding and decoding image data, the second codec means having communication ability lower than the prescribed communication ability of the first codec means;

image reading means for reading a prescribed image and converting the read image into image data;

image printing means for printing an image of image data; and

control means for starting calling of communication,

wherein when the image is read by the image reading means and the converted image data is coded by the first codec means, or when coded image data is decoded by the first codec means and an image of the decoded image data is printed by the image printing means, if a calling demand of communication is generated, the control means starts calling of the communication after waiting for processing completion of the coding or the decoding by the first codec means,

wherein when the control means starts the calling of the communication, the control means causes the communication terminal device to transmit a dial signal including a telephone number of a machine of the other end, and

wherein after the communication terminal device transmits the dial signal, if the machine of the other end does not have ability of a V.34 mode, the control means codes the image data to be transmitted by using the second codec means, and causes the communication terminal device to transmit the coded image data.

13. The communication terminal device according to claim 12,

wherein after the communication terminal device transmits the dial signal, if the machine of the other end does not have the ability of the V.34 mode, the control means codes the image data to be transmitted by using the second codec means, and causes the communication terminal device to transmit the coded image data by facsimile at a communication speed equal to or lower than a V.17 mode.

14. A communication method in a communication terminal device including first codec means having prescribed communication ability and including second codec means having communication ability lower than the prescribed communication ability of the first codec means, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) judging whether or not reading of an image by the device to code the read image by the first codec means or decoding of image data by the first codec means to print an image of the decoded image data is being carried out, when a calling demand is generated;

(b) starting calling of communication after waiting for processing completion of the first codec means if in the step (a), it is judged that reading of the image by the device to code the read image by the first codec means or decoding of the image data by the first codec means to print the image of the decoded image data is being carried out; and

(c) judging whether or not a machine of the other end has communication ability of a V.34 mode after in the step (b), the calling of the communication is started, wherein if in the step (c), it is judged that the machine of the other end has communication ability of a V.34 mode, image data to be transmitted is coded by the first codec means, and the coded image data is transmitted.

15. The communication method according to claim 14,

wherein in a case in which if in the step (c), it is judged that the machine of the other end has the communication ability of the V.34 mode, the image data to be transmitted is coded by the first codec means, and the coded image data is transmitted at a communication speed of the V.34 mode.

16. The communication method according to claim 14,

wherein if in the step (c), it is judged that the machine of the other end does not have the communication ability of the V.34 mode, the image data to be transmitted is coded by the second codec means, and the coded image data is transmitted.

17. The communication method according to claim 16,

wherein if in the step (c), it is judged that the machine of the other end does not have the communication ability of the V.34 mode, the image data to be transmitted is coded by the second codec means, and the coded image data is transmitted at a communication speed equal to or lower than a V.17 mode.

18. A communication method in a communication terminal device including first codec means having prescribed communication ability and including second codec means having communication ability lower than the prescribed communication ability of the first codec means, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) judging whether or not reading of an image by the device to code the read image by the first codec means or decoding of image data by the first codec means to print an image of the decoded image data is being carried out, when a calling demand is generated;

(b) starting calling of communication after waiting for processing completion of the first codec means if in the step (a), it is judged that reading of the image by the device to code the read image by the first codec means or decoding of the image data by the first codec means to print the image of the decoded image data is being carried out; and

(d) judging whether or not a mode for giving priority to calling of communication has been set, if in the step (a), it is judged that reading of the image by the device to code the read image by the first codec means or decoding of the image data by the first codec means to print the image of the decoded image data is being carried out, wherein if in the step (d), it is judged that the mode for giving priority to calling of communication has been set, the calling of the communication is started without waiting for the processing completion of the first codec means, image data to be transmitted is coded by using the second codec means, and the coded image data is transmitted at a communication speed equal to or lower than a V.17 mode.