Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Facsimile relay system
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-16
2001-07-03
Lee, Cheukfan (Department: 2622)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Facsimile relay system
C358S442000, C358S468000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a communication terminal apparatus and more specifically, to a communication terminal apparatus such as a facsimile device that is capable of transfer of file data including character code or binary data of a file format or the like used by a system such as a computer system, which file data differing from facsimile coded data used in normal facsimile communication such as MH or MR coding or the like.
2. Background Art
Functions called relay communication and broadcasting communication exist in facsimile communication. Relay communication is a function that relays information sent to a second facsimile device from a first facsimile device, to a third facsimile device specified beforehand by the first facsimile device, by transferring the information from the second facsimile device to the third facsimile device. Furthermore, broadcasting communication is a function that transmits the same information from one facsimile device to a plurality of other pre-specified other facsimile devices.
Conversely, the file transfer (BFT:Binary File Transfer) protocol has been determined. Using this protocol, it is possible to transmit and receive file data (such as binary data, character data) and facsimile coded data in the same call. The encoding regulations for binary file data have been set by ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union-Communication Standards Section) recommendation T.434.
However, as the aforementioned file data transfer functions (hereafter, called file transfer functions) are optional,there are facsimile devices on which these functions are possible and those on which these are not. That is, there are facsimiles that can only transmit and receive facsimile coded data. Accordingly, when relay communication or broadcasting communication is to be performed by facsimile communication, file transfer can be carried out when it is aimed at only facsimile devices having file transfer functions. But when both types (those capable of file transfer and those not) are present together, only the transmission of facsimile coded data can be carried out.
But together with the widespread use of personal computers, the first device to start the facsimile communication is often a personal computer and not a proper facsimile device that transmits facsimile coded data. In this case, the probability is high that the transmitted document is produced by a personal computer as a file of character code or binary image data (bitmap format, TIFF format etc.). However, even when the receiving side facsimile device is capable of file transfer functions, it becomes necessary to convert file data and exchange facsimile coded data for reliable relaying despite the direct transmission as file data of character code or binary image data being more efficient.
Furthermore, problems relating to the abilities of the various facsimile devices also arise when file data of the character code or binary image data file is to be transmitted after conversion to facsimile coded data. For example, problems with the font when character code is to be converted to facsimile coded data after being bitmapped in the memory, and problems with the resolution during conversion to facsimile coded data. Due to this, it may be desirable to perform a file transfer to a certain device by character code or binary image data and then convert that file to facsimile coded data at the font and resolution of that particular device.
Some of the matter contained herein is disclosed and claimed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 7-264376. A difference between the present invention and the application above can be summarized as follows. The above patent (JPA 7-264376) describes how code data received from a host computer is transmitted after conversion to image data when a third party as the transmission destination is a G3 facsimile device and transmitted unchanged as code data when the third party is a G4 facsimile device. However, nothing is stated about when binary data is received from a host computer nor is there anything about relay and broadcasting in the application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to propose a communication terminal device such as a facsimile device which, when the facsimile device is specified to relay file data which has been file transferred from another device to yet another facsimile device, is capable of relay transmission and broadcasting transmission even if devices which are and which are not capable of file transfer are both present, by directly relaying when the destination facsimile device is capable of file transfer or by relaying after conversion of the file data to normal facsimile coded data when the destination facsimile device is not capable of file transfer.
The communication terminal device of the present invention has a function that relays received information to a specified device and a transfer function of file data (BFT: binary file transfer function), transmits (relays) the received file data unchanged to a device having the file data transfer functions, and transmits (relays) the received file data after conversion to facsimile coded data to a device not having those functions.
That is, on the communication terminal device of the present invention, when file data is relayed and if the relay destination communication terminal device has file data transfer functions, the received filed data is relayed by direct transmission. On the other hand, if the relay destination communication terminal device does not have file data transfer functions, the received file data is relayed after conversion to facsimile coded data. Thus, it is no longer necessary to check beforehand whether the relay destination communication terminal device has file transfer functions.
Furthermore, the communication terminal device of the present invention is provided with a character generator that converts the character code into a character pattern (the file data to be transferred by the communication terminal device may include character code).
Accordingly, as the communication terminal device of the present invention is provided with a character generator, when the transferred file data includes character code, a hard copy or soft copy may be directly produced.
Yet further, in the communication terminal device of the present invention, the file data to be transferred may include binary image data.
Accordingly, on the communication terminal device of the present invention, when the transferred file data includes binary image data, a hard copy output is possible by the conversion of the file data to facsimile coded data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5134501 (1992-07-01), Satomi et al.
patent: 5428458 (1995-06-01), Aiba et al.
patent: 5499109 (1996-03-01), Mathur et al.
patent: 5517324 (1996-05-01), Fite, Jr. et al.
patent: 5528383 (1996-06-01), Tezuka et al.
patent: 31 35 963 A1 (1982-04-01), None
patent: 7-221955 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 94/06230 (1994-03-01), None
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Lee Cheukfan
Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
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