Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Attribute control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-24
2004-10-26
Lee, Thomas D. (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Attribute control
C358S001150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06809836
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image communication method and its control method and, more particularly, to an image communication apparatus such as a telephone terminal having a facsimile communication function or the like, and its control method.
2. Description of Related Art
Various proposals have been made in relation to facsimile apparatuses for transmitting/receiving color images. In the ITU-T recommendation as the facsimile international standards as well, color facsimile systems (G3 and G4 standards) have been standardized recently, and are projected to prevail in the future.
Most of existing color facsimile apparatuses are large in size and expensive. However, since an inexpensive ink-jet color printer can be used in a recording unit, low-cost color facsimile apparatuses will appear soon.
Demand for an inexpensive color facsimile apparatus is expected not in the business field but in home use, and a product which is easy to operate and use is required for home use. However, in a certain inexpensive ink-jet color printer, ink cartridges must be exchanged in correspondence with color or monochrome print, and the operability upon printing a color or monochrome received image must be taken into consideration.
A color facsimile apparatus which adopts an ink-jet recording unit can record both color and monochrome images using only a color ink cartridge. For example, when a monochrome original image is to be copied, a monochrome image can be recorded using process black that expresses black by mixing one or all of inks in the color ink cartridge. Furthermore, upon recording an image received via a facsimile communication, since the received image is normally monochrome, it can be recorded using the inks in the color ink cartridge.
However, when the color ink cartridge is always attached to the recording unit, at least some of color inks are consumed even when a monochrome image is recorded. For this reason, when a color image is received and is color-recorded, the remaining ink amount of the color ink cartridge may become small, and the received color image cannot be recorded. To prevent such shortcoming, the ink cartridge may be increased in size to have a larger capacity. However, such cartridge results in a large, expensive apparatus.
In a recording unit which can exchange a monochrome ink cartridge used for recording a monochrome image, and a color ink cartridge used for recording a color image, when the image to be recorded is a color image but the attached ink cartridge is that for recording a monochrome image, the color image cannot be appropriately recorded. As a result, a recording paper sheet and ink used for recording that image are wasted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the aforementioned problems, and has as its object to provide an image communication apparatus which allows the user to easily recognize the state of a memory-received image, and its control method.
In order to achieve the above object, a preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses an image communication apparatus comprising: communication control means for controlling a communication with a partner terminal; memory control means for storing image information received from the partner terminal in a memory; recording control means for recording a visible image on a recording paper sheet on the basis of the image information stored in the memory by selectively using a recording material cartridge; and management means for managing image information stored in the memory on the basis of identification information containing information indicating that recording has been done by said recording control means.
Also, a preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses an image communication apparatus comprising: communication control means for controlling a communication with a partner terminal; memory control means for storing image information received from the partner terminal in a memory; recording control means for recording a visible image on a recording paper sheet on the basis of the image information stored in the memory by selectively using a recording material cartridge; and management means for managing image information stored in the memory on the basis of identification information containing information indicating that recording has been done by said recording control means, further comprising notification means for notifying a count value obtained by counting the number of pieces of non-recorded image information stored in the memory, and notifying a count value obtained by counting the number of pieces of color or monochrome image information stored in the memory.
Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses a controlling method for controlling an image communication apparatus which has a communication control unit for controlling a communication with a partner terminal, a memory control unit for storing image information received from the partner terminal in a memory, and a recording control unit for recording a visible image on a recording paper sheet on the basis of the image information stored in the memory by selectively using a recording material cartridge, said method comprising the step of: managing image information stored in the memory on the basis of identification information containing information indicating that recording has been done by the recording control unit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image communication apparatus which can control image recording on the basis of the states of memory-received color and monochrome images, and its control method.
In order to achieve the above object, a preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses an image communication apparatus comprising: communication control means for controlling a communication with a partner terminal; memory control means for storing image information received from the partner terminal in a memory; recording control means for recording a visible image on a recording paper sheet on the basis of the image information stored in the memory by selectively using a recording material cartridge; and management means for managing image information stored in the memory on the basis of identification information containing information indicating that recording has been done by said recording control means, further comprising recording operation control means for controlling recording operation of image information stored in the memory by said recording control means on the basis of a count value obtained by counting the number of pieces of recorded image information stored in the memory, and identification information of image information provided by said management means.
Also, a preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses a controlling method for controlling an image communication apparatus which has a communication control unit for controlling a communication with a partner terminal, a memory control unit for storing image information received from the partner terminal in a memory, and a recording control unit for recording a visible image on a recording paper sheet on the basis of the image information stored in the memory by selectively using a recording material cartridge, said method comprising the step of: managing image information stored in the memory on the basis of identification information containing information indicating that recording has been done by the recording control unit, further comprising the steps of: counting the number of pieces of recorded image information stored in the memory; and controlling recording operation of image information stored in the memory by the recording control unit on the basis of the obtained count value and identification information of image information provided by a management unit.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an image communication apparatus which allows the user to easily detect memory-received color and monochrome images, and its control
Matsuzaki Susumu
Nakao Muneki
Nobuta Hiroshi
Sugawara Naoki
Toyama Takeshi
Brinich Stephen
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Lee Thomas D.
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