Facsimile system

• US 7,110,134 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuroda, Ken, Kitagawa, Eiichiro, Iimoto, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MADELEINE ANH VINH
• Application Number:
  US10/428,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 358/440, 358/402, 358/442, 358/444, 358/400, 358/1.15, 358/405, 358/434, 358/404, 379/100.01
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32416 Storage of instructions or retrieval of prestored instructions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32797 Systems adapted to communicate over more than one channel, e.g. via ISDN changing transmission mode according to type of channel H04N2201/33364; multichannel or multilink communication protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/333 Mode signalling or mode changing; Handshaking therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33338 adapting to particular facsimile group, e.g. G3
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3298 Checking or indicating the storage space
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0471 Terminal access circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/09 Subscriber related equipment; Analog terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/096 Digital subscriber terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13179 Fax, still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/179 : Facsimile; Fax, e.g. still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/196 : Connection-circuit; Trunk; Junction circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/216 : Code signals; Framing (not synchronizing)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/38 : Interexchange connections, e.g. connections of different kinds of networks

Abstract

In a facsimile system having a server device connected to a local-area network system, to which a plurality of client terminals are connected, and connected also to an ISDN and a pay-station telephone network, the server device performs communication with the pay-station telephone network and the plurality of client terminals, performs communication with the ISDN and the plurality of client terminals, and changes over communication between the ISDN and the pay-station telephone network in accordance with a command from each of the plurality of client terminals.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a linker adapted to link to a plurality of data terminals, each of which is able to store data to be processed;

receiving means for receiving a processing request from at least one of the plurality of data terminals without any request from said apparatus, wherein the processing request includes information for specifying data to be processed that is predesignated by a data terminal and information for discriminating the data terminal from the plurality of data terminals;

a determiner adapted to determine whether predetermined resources are adequate to perform the received processing request;

a manager adapted to manage information for discriminating which data terminal of the plurality of data terminals has stored therein data to be processed corresponding to the received processing request;

requesting means for issuing an output request to the discriminated data terminal for the data to be processed stored in the discriminated data terminal, based on the managed information, when the predetermined resources are adequate to perform the received processing request;

receiving means for receiving the data to be processed, which is output from the discriminated data terminal, in accordance with the output request issued by said requesting means; and

a processor adapted to process the data received by said means for receiving the data to be processed, based on the received processing request.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said linker connects to a local-area network to which one or more terminals are connected.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the received processing request includes network information, which specifies a terminal connected to the local-area network;

and

wherein said requesting means issues the request based on the network information.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a storage unit adapted to store the data received by said means for receiving the data to be processed, wherein said determiner makes a determination based on an available storage capacity of said storage unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processor transmits the data received by said means for receiving the data to be processed in accordance with transmission information included in the received processing request.

6. A data processing method of an apparatus linked to a plurality of data terminals, each of which is able to store data to be processed, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a processing request from at least one of the plurality of data terminals without any request from the apparatus, wherein the processing request includes information for specifying data to be processed that is predesignated by a data terminal and information for discriminating the data terminal from the plurality of data terminals;

determining whether predetermined resources are adequate to perform the received processing request;

managing information for discriminating which data terminal has stored therein data to be processed corresponding to the received processing request;

requesting the data to be processed stored in the discriminated data terminal to the discriminated data terminal, based on the managed information, when the predetermined resources are adequate to perform the received processing request;

receiving the data to be processed, which is output from the discriminated data terminal, requested in said output requesting step; and

processing the received data based on the received processing request.

7. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a linker adapted to link to a plurality of data terminals, each of which is able to store data to be processed;

receiving means for receiving a processing request from at least one of the plurality of data terminals without any request from said apparatus, wherein the processing request includes information for specifying data to be processed that is predesignated by a data terminal and information for discriminating the data terminal from the plurality of data terminals;

a determiner adapted to determine whether predetermined resources are adequate to store data concerning the received processing request;

a manager adapted to manage information for discriminating which data terminal of the plurality of data terminals has stored therein data to be processed corresponding to the received processing request;

requesting means for issuing an output request to the discriminated data terminal for the data to be processed stored in the discriminated data terminal, based on the managed information, when the predetermined resources are adequate to store data concerning the received processing request;

receiving means for receiving the data to be processed, which is output from the discriminated data terminal, in accordance with the output request issued by said requesting means; and

a processor adapted to process the data received by said means for receiving the data to be processed, based on the received processing request.