Patent ID: 6307639
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A data transmission and reception device for use in a printer including a printer engine adaptable to print facsimile data from a remote facility and computer data from a host computer, said data transmission and reception device comprising:means for detecting a ring signal indicative of an incoming facsimile reception;first input/output means for enabling reception of facsimile data transmitted from said remote facility via a telephone network, and for enabling transmission of computer data received from a host computer to said remote facility;second input/output means for enabling reception of said computer data to be transmitted to said remote facility via said telephone network, and for enabling transmission of said facsimile data received from said remote facility to said host computer;modulator/demodulator means for demodulating received facsimile data from said remote facility, and for modulating received computer data from said host computer;control means for controlling said modulator/demodulator means to start the facsimile reception when said ring signal is detected, for controlling the transmission of demodulated facsimile data to one of said printer engine for direct printing and said host computer via said second input/output means, and controlling the transmission of the received computer data supplied from said host computer to one of said printer engine for direct printing and said modulator/demodulator means for modulation and subsequent transmission to said remote facility via said first input/output means, in dependence upon a determination of whether said printer is set in one of a print mode and a facsimile mode; andmeans for interfacing with said printer engine under the control of said control means.