Data communication apparatus and method therefor

• US 6,639,693 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1996
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Shin, Ejiri, Seishi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wallerson, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/635,518
• Time in Patent Office: 2,745 Days
• Field of Search: 358/434, 358/442, 358/444, 358/400, 358/402, 358/468, 358/407, 358/403, 379/100.01, 379/100.12, 379/100.13, 379/100.15
• US Class Current: 358/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32539 Detecting or indicating the status of the output devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus H04N2201/0074; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a data communication apparatus and a method which can transfer data even if a terminal is not operated. The data communication apparatus comprises reception means for receiving data from a transmission side, connection means for connecting the apparatus to an external device, initiation means for initiating the external device when the external device which is connected through said connection means is not in an operable state, and discrimination means for discriminating a type of data which is received by said reception means, wherein said initiation means performs an initiation on the basis of a discriminated result of said discrimination means.

Claims

1. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, arranged to receive data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

a connector, arranged to connect said apparatus to an external client device of a plurality of external client devices via a communication network other than the telephone network;

an instructor, arranged so as, when the external client device is not in a state capable of processing the data received by said receiver, to instruct the external client device to cause the external client device to change to the state capable of processing the received data;

a printer, arranged to print an image based on the data received by said receiver through the telephone network;

a data transferor, arranged to transfer the received data to the external client device through said connector;

a data discriminator, arranged to discriminate whether a type of data received by said receiver is to be processed by said printer or by the external client device; and

a controller, arranged so as, in response to said data discriminator discriminating that the type of the received data is a type to be processed by the external client device, to control said instructor and said data transferor to cause said data transferor to transfer the received data to the external client device after the external client device has changed to the state capable of processing the received data, while said instructor does not instruct the external client device, said transferor does not transfer the received data to the external client device, and said printer prints the image based on the received data in response to said data discriminator discriminating that the type of the received data is a type to be processed by said printer,

wherein whether the external client device is in the state capable of processing data is determined based on information obtained from the communication network.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said instructor instructs the external client device in a case where data received by said receiver is discriminated as code data in said data discriminator.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said instructor turns on the external client device when power to the external client device is turned off.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising record means for recording data received by said receiver.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said record means performs a recording in a case where data received by said receiver is discriminated to be image data by said data discriminator.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said data communication apparatus includes a facsimile apparatus and a FAX server.

7. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver, arranged to receive data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

a connector, arranged to connect said apparatus to a local area network (LAN);

a data transferor, arranged to transfer data received by said receiver to a designated client terminal of a plurality of client terminals on the LAN;

a status determinor, arranged to determine whether or not the client terminal is in a state capable of accepting the received data in response to reception of the data from the transmission side by said receiver, based on information obtained from the LAN; and

an instructor, arranged so as, when said status determinor determines that the client terminal is not in the state capable of accepting the received data, to instruct the client terminal to cause the client terminal to change into the state capable of accepting the received data,

wherein said data transferor transfers the received data after the client terminal has changed into the state capable of accepting the received data, and

wherein said data transferor transfers data to the client terminal when information for designating the client terminal on the LAN is received from the transmission side by said receiver.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein information for designating the client terminal on the LAN includes information for specifying the client terminal.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a setter, arranged to set a transferred party to which a transfer is performed by said data transferor, wherein said data transferor transfers data to a terminal of the transferred party set by said setter.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said instructor turns on the client terminal when power to the client terminal is turned off.

11. A data communication method of a data communication apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

an instruction step of, when an external client device of a plurality of external client devices connected to the data communication apparatus via a communication network other than the telephone network to receive data is not in a state capable of processing the data received in said reception step, instructing the external client device to cause the external client device to change to the state capable of processing the data received in said reception step;

a print step of printing an image based on the data received in said reception step through the telephone network;

a transfer step of transferring the received data to the external client device;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether a type of data received in said reception step is to be processed in said print step or by the external client device; and

a control step of, in response to said discrimination step discriminating that the type of the received data is a type to be processed by the external client device, controlling said instruction step and said transfer step to cause said transfer step to transfer the received data to the external client device after the external client device is changed to the state capable of processing the received data, while said instruction step does not instruct the external client device, said transfer step does not transfer the received data to the external client device, and said print step prints the image based on the received data in response to said discriminating step discriminating that the type of the received data is a type to be processed by the printer,

wherein whether the external client device is in the state capable of processing data is determined based on information obtained from the communication network.

12. A data communication method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

a transfer step of transferring data received in said reception step to a designated client terminal of a plurality of client terminals on a local area network (LAN);

a determination step of determining whether or not the client terminal is in a state capable of accepting the received data in response to reception of the data from the transmission side in said reception step, based on information obtained from the LAN; and

an instruction step of, when said determination step determines that the client terminal is not in the state capable of accepting the received data, instructing the client terminal to cause the client terminal to change into the state capable of accepting the received data,

wherein said transfer step transfers the received data after the client terminal has changed into the state capable of accepting the received data, and

wherein said data transfer step transfers data to the client terminal when information for designating the client terminal on the LAN is received from the transmission side in said reception step.

13. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver, arranged to receive data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

a connector, arranged to connect said apparatus to an external client device of a plurality of external client devices via a communication network other than the telephone network;

an instructor, arranged so as, when the external client device is not in a state capable of processing the data received by said receiver, to instruct the external client device to cause the external client device to change to the state capable of processing the data received by said receiver;

a printer, arranged to print an image based on the data received by said receiver through the telephone network;

a data transferor, arranged to transfer the data received by said receiver to the external client device through said connector;

a data discriminator, arranged to discriminate whether a type of data received by said receiver is to be processed by said printer or by the external client device; and

a controller, arranged to control said instructor to instruct said data transferor to transfer the received data only when it is discriminated by said data discriminator that the received data is to be transferred by said data transferor, while said instructor does not instruct the external client device, said transferor does not transfer the received data, and said printer prints the image based on the received data when it is discriminated by said data discriminator that the received data is a type to be processed by said printer,

wherein whether the external client device is in the state capable of processing data is determined based on information obtained from the communication network.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said instructor turns power on to the external client device when the power to the external client device is turned off.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said instructor sends a signal that is used by the external client device to initiate application software to process the received data.

16. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver, arranged to receive data from a transmission side through a public telephone line by a facsimile communication;

a connector, arranged to connect said apparatus to an external client device of a plurality of external client devices via a communication network other than the telephone line;

a data transferor, arranged to transfer the data received by said receiver to the external client device through said connector;

a status determinor, arranged to determine whether or not the external client device connected by said connector is in an operable state capable of processing the data received by said receiver in response to reception of the data from the transmission side by said receiver, based on information obtained from the communication network; and

a controller, arranged so as, when said status determinor determines that the external client device is in the operable state, to transfer the received data using said data transferor, and for, when said status determinor determines that the external client device is not in the operable state, to transfer the received data to the external client device after instructing the external client device to change to the operable state,

wherein said data transferor transfers data to the external client device when information for designating the external client device on the communication network is received from the transmission side by said receiver.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said printer prints the image representing the data not transferred by said data transferor.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the communication network is a local area network (LAN), and said data transferor transfers the received data to an external client device on the LAN in accordance with a designation from the transmission side.

19. A storage medium storing computer-readable program instructions for executing a data communication method of a data communication apparatus, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

an instruction step of, when an external client device of a plurality of external client devices connected to the data communication apparatus via a communication network other than the telephone network to receive data is not in a state capable of processing the data received in said reception step, instructing the external client device to cause the external client device to change to the state capable of processing the data received in said reception step;

a print step of using a printer to print an image based on the data received in said reception step through the telephone network;

a transfer step of transferring the received data to the external client device;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether a type of data received in said reception step is to be processed in said print step or by the external client device; and

a control step of, in response to said discrimination step discriminating that the type of the received data is a type to be processed by the external client device, controlling said instruction step and said transfer step to cause said transfer step to transfer the received data to the external client device after the external client device is changed to the state capable of processing the received data, while said instruction step does not instruct the external client device, said transfer step does not transfer the received data, and said printer prints the image based on the received data in response to said discrimination step discriminating that the type of the received data is a type to be processed by the printer,

wherein whether the external client device is in the state capable of processing data is determined based on information obtained from the communication network.

20. A storage medium storing computer-readable program instructions for executing a data communication method, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

a transfer step of transferring data received in said reception step to a designated client terminal of a plurality of client terminals on a local area network (LAN);

a determination step of determining whether or not the client terminal is in a state capable of accepting the received data in response to reception of the data from the transmission side in said reception step, based on information obtained from the LAN; and

an instruction step of, when said determination step determines that the client terminal is not in the state capable of accepting the received data, instructing the client terminal to cause the client terminal to change into the state capable of accepting the received data,

wherein said transfer step transfers the received data after the client terminal has changed into the state capable of accepting the received data, and

wherein said data transfer step transfers data to the client terminal when information for designating the client terminal on the LAN is received from the transmission side in said reception step.

21. A data processing method for controlling a data processing apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

an instruction step of, when an external client device of a plurality of external client devices connected to the data processing apparatus via a communication network other than the telephone network to receive data is not in a state capable of processing the data received in said reception step, instructing the external client device to cause the external client device to change to the state capable of processing the data received in said reception step;

a print step of using a printer to print an image based on the data received in said reception step through the telephone network;

a transfer step of transferring the received data received to the external client device;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether a type of data received in said reception step is to be processed in said printing step or by the external client device; and

a control step of controlling said instruction step to instruct said transfer step to transfer the received data when it is discriminated in said discrimination step that the received data is to be transferred in said transfer step, while said instruction step does not instruct the external client device, said transfer step does not transfer the received data, and said printing step prints the image based on the received data when it is discriminated in said discrimination step that the received data is a type to be processed by the printer,

wherein whether the external client device is in the state capable of processing data is determined based on information obtained from the communication network.

22. A data processing method for controlling a data processing apparatus, said method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone line by a facsimile communication;

a determination step of determining whether or not an external client device of a plurality of external client devices connected to the data processing apparatus via a communication network other than the telephone line is in an operable state capable of processing the data received in said reception step in response to reception of the data from the transmission side in said reception step, based on information obtained from the communication network;

a transfer step of transferring the received data to the external client device via the communication network; and

a control step of, when said determination step determines that the external client device is in the operable state, transferring the received data in said transfer step, and of, when said determination step determines that the external client device is not in the operable state, transferring the received data to the external client device only after instructing the external client device to change to the operable state,

wherein said transfer step includes transferring data to the external client device when information for designating the external client device on the communication network is received from the transmission side in said reception step.

23. A storage medium storing computer-readable program instructions for executing a data processing method for a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone network;

an instruction step of, when an external client device of a plurality of external client devices connected to the data processing apparatus via a communication network other than the telephone network to have data transferred thereto is not in a state capable of processing the data received in said reception step, instructing the external client device to cause the external client device to change to the state capable of processing the data received in said reception step;

a print step of using a printer to print an image based on the data received in said reception step through the telephone network;

a transfer step of transferring the received data to the external client device;

a discrimination step of discriminating whether a type of data received in said reception step is to be processed in said print step or by the external client device; and

a control step of controlling said instruction step to instruct said transfer step to transfer the received data to the external client device when it is discriminated in said discrimination step that the received data is to be transferred in said transfer step, while said instruction step does not instruct the external client device, said transfer step does not transfer the received data, and said print step prints the image based on the received data when it is discriminated in said discrimination step that the received data is a type to be processed by the printer,

wherein whether the external client device is in the state capable of processing data is determined based on information obtained from the communication network.

24. A storage medium storing computer-readable program instructions for executing a data processing method of a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

a reception step of receiving data from a transmission side through a public telephone line by a facsimile communication;

a determination step of determining whether or not an external client device of a plurality of external client devices connected to the data processing apparatus via a communication network other than the telephone line is in an operable state capable of processing the received data in response to reception of the data from the transmission side in said reception step, based on information obtained from the communication network;

a transfer step of transferring the data received in said reception step to the external client device through a connector; and

a control step of, when said determination step determines that the external client device is in the operable state, controlling said transfer step to transfer the data received in said transfer step, and of, when said determination step determines that the external client device is not in the operable state, controlling said transfer step to transfer the received data to the external client device only after instructing the external client device to change to the operable state,

wherein said transfer step includes transferring data to the external client device when information for designating the external client device on the communication network is received from the transmission side in said reception step.