Patent ID: 6262805
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image communication apparatus capable of being connected via an interface to a data processing terminal, comprising:an input unit for inputting a manual instruction;a data communication unit responsive to the manual instruction for communicating data via a communication link;a printer for printing an image based on data from the data processing terminal and data received by said data communication unit via the communication link, said printer communicates with the data processing terminal via the interface;a first generator for generating a first information indicating a state of said data communication unit, apart from a state of said printer; anda second generator responsive to a request from the data processing terminal for discriminating, in accordance with the first information, whether or not said data communication unit is available, and for informing the data processing terminal that said data communication unit is not available or sending to said data communication unit a communication instruction to communicate data from the data processing terminal by said data communication unit via the interface, in accordance with whether or not said data communication unit is available, whereinsaid data communication unit communicates the data from the data processing terminal in response to the communication instruction from said second generator via the communication link,said second generator informs the data processing terminal via the interface that said data communication unit is not available, apart from the state of said printer, in accordance with the first information generated by said first generator, andsaid second generator informs the data processing terminal of the state of said printer in response to a print request from the data processing terminal via the interface.