Patent ID: 6031635
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A facsimile apparatus capable of simultaneously being connected to a plurality of lines, which allows dialing by an operator or automatic control by the apparatus over an idle line of the plurality of lines in cases when the apparatus has already been connected to another apparatus, for communication or operation for establishing a communication, by accessing or being accessed from the another apparatus, said facsimile apparatus comprising:comparison means for comparing a first subscriber number of a currently connected end and a second subscriber number of an end which will be dialed, the comparison means comparing the second subscriber number with the first subscriber number as each digit of the second subscriber number is dialed; andcontrol means for suspending or terminating a dialing operation when the comparison means finds that the first and the second subscriber numbers are identical by suspending the dialing operation until the currently connected communication is terminated or by terminating the dialing operation, and for initiating the dialing operation when a first mismatching digit is found by the comparison means.