Abstract:
A communication terminal apparatus includes a communication section that controls communication to a destination and a browser that analyzes hypertexts, and displays an image in accordance with the analyzed hypertexts on a display, the image having at least an input field. Hardware keys are configured to input numbers and characters, and are selectively operable in a first mode to input a destination number to the communication section in order to communicate with the destination, and in a second mode to input data to the input field. An off hook detector detects whether the communication section is in an off hook condition and a controller controls a status of the hardware keys in one of the first and second modes. The controller, when the off hook detector detects that the communication section is in the off hook condition and when the hardware keys are in the second mode, switches the input of the hardware keys, from the second mode to the first mode.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/300,517, filed on Apr. 28, 1999, the contents of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to communication terminal apparatus equipped with a display and methods for controlling these communication terminal apparatus.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Recently, in line with the widespread use of the Internet, clients having a WWW browser function access a WWW server and browse HTML documents. These clients include personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “PC”) and personal digital assistants (hereinafter referred to as “PDA”).  
           [0006]    Some clients have a touch panel display rather than a keyboard. Clients of this type are usually designed to use a soft keyboard to enter characters in input fields of an HTML document displayed on a screen. The input modes of characters are switched by the soft keyboard between alphabet, number, hiragana, katakana, kanji, etc.  
           [0007]    However, conventional communication terminal apparatuses require complicated operations involving the need to start the soft keyboard every time characters are entered in the input fields of the HTML documents or the need to change input modes, etc. Moreover, once the soft keyboard is started, the screen is occupied by the soft keyboard, reducing the visible space of the HTML documents.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    It is an first objective of the present invention to provide a communication terminal apparatus that will allow characters to be entered in the input fields of hypertexts only by simple operations.  
           [0009]    It is an second objective of the present invention to provide a method of controlling communication terminal that will allow characters to be entered in the input fields of hypertexts only by simple operations.  
           [0010]    The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus, comprising display section for displaying information; hypertext browsing section for analyzing hypertexts and displaying a screen according to the analysis results on said display section; pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; call section for making a call over a line; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said call section; and controlling section for controlling said hardware key section, wherein said controlling section switches, when the position pointed by said pointing section is within an input field of said hypertext, the output destination of said hardware key section from said call section to said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs from said hardware key section to said input field.  
           [0011]    The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus, comprising: call section for making a call over a line; handset section for inputting or outputting voice attached to the apparatus in a detachable manner; display section for displaying information attached to the apparatus in such a way that the angle of elevation of the screen can be changed; hypertext browsing section for analyzing a hypertext and displaying a screen according to the analysis results on said display section; pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said call section; and controlling section for controlling said hardware key section, wherein said controlling section switches, when the position pointed by said pointing section is within an input field of said screen, the output destination of said hardware key from said call section to said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs from said hardware key section to said input field.  
           [0012]    The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus, comprising: call section for making a call over a line; display section for displaying information attached to the apparatus in such a way that the angle of elevation of the screen can be changed; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said call section; and display controlling section, wherein said display controlling section displays, when the angle of elevation of said display section is changed and said hardware key section is covered, a call number input screen for entering call numbers to said screen, and on the other hand displays, when said hardware key section is not covered with said display section, an input result display screen for displaying said call numbers input on said screen by said hardware key section.  
           [0013]    The above objective is achieved by a facsimile apparatus, which scans documents, obtains image data and transmits said image data according to a facsimile protocol, comprising: information displaying section; hypertext browsing section for analyzing a hypertext and displaying a screen according to the analysis results on said display section; pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; call section for making a call over a line; and hardware key section for entering call numbers to said call section,  
           [0014]    wherein said controlling section switches, when the position pointed by said pointing section is within an input field of said hypertext, the output destination of said hardware key section from said call section to said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs from said hardware key section to said input field.  
           [0015]    The above objective is achieved by a facsimile apparatus, which scans documents, obtains image data and transmits said image data according to a facsimile protocol, comprising: call section for making a call over a line; handset section for inputting or outputting voice attached to the apparatus in a detachable manner; display section for displaying information attached to the apparatus in such a way that the angle of elevation of the screen can be changed; hypertext browsing section for analyzing a hypertext and displaying a screen according to the analysis results; pointing section for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said call section; and controlling section for controlling said hardware key section, wherein said controlling section switches, when the position pointed by said pointing section is within an input field of said screen, the output destination of said hardware key section from said call section to said hypertext browsing section, allowing inputs from said hardware key section to said input field.  
           [0016]    The above objective is achieved by a facsimile apparatus, which scans documents, obtains image data and transmits said image data according to a facsimile protocol, comprising: call section for making a call over a line; display section for displaying information attached to the apparatus in such a way that the angle of elevation of the screen can be changed; hardware key section for entering call numbers to said call section; display controlling section for displaying, when the angle of elevation of said display section is changed and said hardware key section is covered, a call number input screen for entering call numbers to said screen, and displaying, when said hardware key section is not covered with said display section, an input result display screen for displaying said call numbers input on said screen by said hardware key section.  
           [0017]    The above objective is achieved by a communication terminal apparatus, comprising: a display for displaying information; a browser for analyzing a hypertext and displaying the analysis results on said display; a pointing device for pointing arbitrary positions on said screen; a line control circuit for making a call over a line; hardware keys for entering call numbers to said line control circuit; and a controller for controlling the output destination of inputs from said hardware keys, wherein said controller switches, when the position pointed by said pointer is within an input field of said hypertext, the output destination of said hardware keys from said line control circuit to said browser, allowing inputs from said hardware keys to said input field.  
           [0018]    The above objective is achieved by a method of controlling hardware keys of a communication terminal apparatus comprising a display and line control circuit, comprising the steps of: detecting a position pointed by the pointer on a screen displayed on the display using a browser; and switching, when said detected position is within an input field of said hypertext, the output destination of said hardware keys from said line control circuit to said browser, allowing inputs from said hardware keys to said input field. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one example is illustrated by way of example, in which;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a setting table used for the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when a contact has been made on the touch panel in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 6A is a drawing showing an example of screen which includes input fields of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6B is a drawing showing an example of screen which displays a soft keyboard according to the embodiment above;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when dial keys are pressed in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing steps of control by an input device according to the input mode of the dial keys in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing steps of dial input processing in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing steps of dial input processing in the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 11A is a drawing showing transition status  1  of angle adjustment of the touch panel display of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 11B is a drawing showing transition status  2  of angle adjustment of the touch panel display of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 11C is a drawing showing transition status  3  of angle adjustment of the touch panel display of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12A is a drawing showing an example of dial screen of the facsimile apparatus according to the embodiment above; and  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 12B is a drawing showing an example of input result display screen.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    With reference now to the attached drawings, a communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail below.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0038]    On the top panel of main body  2  of facsimile apparatus  1 , a touch panel display  3  is attached in a manner that it can freely be opened/closed. Touch panel display  3  is attached to main body  2  in a manner that the angle of elevation of screen  3   a  can freely be changed. More specifically, touch panel display  3  is designed to be able to take either a first posture with screen  3   a  facing upward or a second posture with screen  3   a  in an upright position. Touch panel display  3  can change its angle of elevation continuously between the first posture and second posture.  
         [0039]    On the top panel of main body  2 , a dial keys  4  and cursor keys  5  are provided. Cursor keys  5  are a directional section to freely move the cursor and pointer displayed on screen  3   a  in  4  directions. Dial keys  4  and cursor keys  5  are covered with touch panel display  3  when it is laid on the top panel as described above.  
         [0040]    On one side of main body  2 , a handset  6  is provided. This example shows a case where a receiver with a cord is used as handset  6 , but a cord-less receiver can also be used. On the front of main body  2 , a scanner paper feeding section  7  and a printer paper discharge section  8  are provided.  
         [0041]    FIG. 2  is a hardware block diagram of facsimile apparatus  1  according to the embodiment above.  
         [0042]    Touch panel display  3  consists of LCD display  3 A and touch panel  3 B.  
         [0043]    CPU (Central Processing Unit)  11  executes desired processing according to a program.  
         [0044]    ROM  12  is a read only memory which stores basic programs such as a startup program.  
         [0045]    RAM (Random Access Memory)  13  is a main memory into which CPU  11  loads and executes a program or data.  
         [0046]    Flush memory (hereinafter referred to as “FROM”) is an erasable and rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory. FROM  14  mainly stores application programs, executable programs and data such-as HTML documents.  
         [0047]    Network control unit (hereinafter referred to as “NCU”)  15  controls transmission/reception of a signal to/from Public Switched Telephone Network (hereinafter referred to as “PSTN”)  16 . NCU  15  processes outgoing and incoming calls, etc. This NCU  15  is connected with handset  6  and built-in speaker  17 .  
         [0048]    Communication control section  18  performs data communications and facsimile communications via PSTN  16 . This example shows a facsimile modem, but a DSU or terminal adapter (TA) can also be used. The facsimile modem also performs digitization of voice signals together.  
         [0049]    Voice processing section  19  encodes and compresses a digitized voice signal or, inversely, decodes and decompresses a compressed voice signal.  
         [0050]    Touch panel display  3  consists of an LCD panel display as a display section and a touch panel as an input device. Therefore, touch panel display  3  not only displays information but also accepts user operations. More specifically, screen  3   a  of touch panel display  3  displays various kinds of information, input screens, operation menus, icons and buttons, etc. Touching screen  3   a  with a pen or finger makes it possible to enter characters or pictures and select menus, etc.  
         [0051]    Dial keys  4  are used not only for telephone dial operations but also for entering numbers, etc. in input fields displayed on touch panel display  3 .  
         [0052]    External I/O  20  controls data communications with external devices such as a PC, TA, barcode reader, and external modem. External I/O  20  is, for example, a serial interface, a parallel interface , IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 1394 or USB (Universal Serial Bus).  
         [0053]    PC card interface  21  controls data transmission/reception between a PC card and the main body  2 . For PC cards, a variety of cards such as flush memory cards, modem cards, LAN cards and ISDN cards are available.  
         [0054]    Scanner  22  scans documents. Printer  23  prints out various kinds of data such as images and text.  
         [0055]    Bus  24  is a line that connects CPU  11  and other sections such as ROM  12  and RAM  13 .  
         [0056]    FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram showing facsimile apparatus  1  according to the embodiment above.  
         [0057]    Coordinate position detection section  31  detects coordinates on the screen of display  3 A (hereinafter referred to as “pointing coordinates”) of the position on touch panel  3 B that a pen or finger touches (hereinafter referred to as “focus”).  
         [0058]    Facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment comprises browser function section  32 . This browser function section  32  has functions compliant with the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) standard.  
         [0059]    More specifically, HTML analysis section  33  analyzes HTML documents read from, for example, a WWW server on the network or internal HTML documents read from FROM  14 .  
         [0060]    HTML display section  34  outputs display data according to the analysis result from HTML analysis section  33 .  
         [0061]    Browser input device  35  receives inputs to the browser function such as URL inputs, link destination inputs, inputs to HTML document input fields and performs processing according to these inputs.  
         [0062]    HTML document requesting section  36  requests a WWW server to transfer an HTML document in response to an input to browser input device  35  according to HTTP. HTML document requesting section  36  also reads internal HTML documents stored in FROM  14 .  
         [0063]    The display data output from HTML display section  34  above are displayed by display control section  37  on LCD display  3 A.  
         [0064]    Determination section  38  receives pointing coordinates from coordinate position detection section  31 , and it also receives coordinates of an input field (hereinafter referred to as “input field coordinates”) in a HTML document from HTML display section  34 . Through this, determination section  38  determines whether or not pointing coordinates are within the input field coordinates.  
         [0065]    Soft keyboard  39  is an input device for entering symbols and numbers, hiragana, katakana, kanji, displayed on LCD display  3 A.  
         [0066]    Dial screen  40  is a screen containing the dial that is displayed on LCD display  3 A according to an internal HTML document and used to enter telephone numbers. Touching the dial section allows operations equivalent to dial keys  4 .  
         [0067]    Input device control section  41  sends inputs from dial keys  4 , soft keyboard  39  and dial screen  40  to browser input device  35  and communication control section  18  based on the determination by determination section  38 .  
         [0068]    Setting table  42  stores various setting contents of facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4 , flag F 1  is set to ON when the focus is in an input field of the HTML document. Flag F 2  is set to ON when soft keyboard  39  is requested to be displayed. Flag F 3  is set to ON when dial keys  4  are also used for browser inputs. Moreover, flags F 4  to F 8  are set to ON according to the type of the soft keyboard input mode. Determination section  38  determines the transmission destination of the input of the input device taking account of flags in setting table  42 .  
         [0069]    Hookoff detection section  43  detects a hook off of handset  6  via communication control section  18  and informs it to determination section  38 .  
         [0070]    Then the operation of facsimile apparatus  1  as shown above is explained. FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when a touch is produced on touch panel  3 B of facsimile apparatus  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0071]    In step (hereinafter referred to as “ST”)  501  determination section  38  checks whether or not there is an input to touch panel  3 B, that is, determination section  38  checks whether or not there is a contact by a pen or finger.  
         [0072]    If there is an input, in ST 502  determination section  38  checks whether or not the focus is in an input field of the HTML document. More specifically, determination section  38  checks whether or not the focus is in the input field on the screen specified by an INPUT tag of the HTML document.  
         [0073]    If the focus is found in the input field in ST 502 , the “focus HTML input field” flag F 1  of setting table  42  shown in FIG. 4 is set to ON in ST 503 .  
         [0074]    Then, in ST 504 , determination section  38  checks whether the “soft keyboard display” flag F 2  in setting table  42  is ON or OFF. If it is ON, soft keyboard  39  is displayed on the screen in ST 505 .  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 6A is a drawing showing an example of screen containing the input device of facsimile apparatus  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a drawing showing an example of screen on which the soft keyboard is displayed. On screen  61 , a plurality of input fields  62  to  64  specified by INPUT tags in the HTML document are displayed. If the focus is in one of input fields  62  to  64 , soft keyboard  65  is displayed as shown in FIG. 6B.  
         [0076]    Here, inputs by soft keyboard  65  are explained using FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B. The screen shown in FIG. 6A is as screen for ordering oranges, apples and grapes.  
         [0077]    An ordering operation is completed by the operator entering the numbers of ordering items and then touching transmission button  66 . Input fields  62  to  64  next to the numbers of ordering items are described with INPUT tags. Touching these input fields  62  to  64  displays soft keyboard  65  as shown in FIG. 6B. For example, if the operator wants to enter “12”, the operator needs to touch “1”, “2” and “End” on soft keyboard  65 , in that order.  
         [0078]    On the other hand, if the focus is not in the input field in ST 502 , the “focus HTML input field” flag F 1  in setting table  42  is set to OFF in ST 506 . Then, in ST 507 , determination section  38  determines whether or not the focus is in the dial icon section of dial screen  40 .  
         [0079]    If the focus is on a dial icon in ST 507 , dial input processing is performed in ST 508 . More specifically, each of the dial icon of dial screen  40  corresponds to a number or a symbol (*, #). Therefore, the operator can enter data of the corresponding numbers or symbols in input device control section  41  by touching any dial icon with a finger or a pen. The input data are sent by input device control section  41  to communication control section  18  as telephone dial data.  
         [0080]    Then, a case where dial keys  4  are pressed in facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment is explained. FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing steps of control when dial keys  4  are pressed in facsimile apparatus  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0081]    In ST 701 , determination section  38  checks whether or not dial keys  4  have been pressed. If dial keys  4  are pressed, in ST 702 , determination section  38  checks whether or not the “dial key/browser input dual-function” flag F 3  is ON in setting table  42 .  
         [0082]    If it is ON, it checks whether or not “Focus HTML input field” flag F 1  is ON in ST 703 . If it is ON, determination section  38  determines that the input data of dial keys  4  be subjected to browser input processing. More specifically, if one of dial keys  4  is pressed, the number or symbol assigned to the relevant key is entered. These input data are sent by input device control section  41  to browser input device  35  of browser function section  32 .  
         [0083]    On the other hand, in ST 702 , if the dial key/browser input dual-function flag F 3  is OFF, in ST 705 , determination section  38  determines that the dial keys be used for dial input processing. More specifically, if one of dial keys  4  is pressed, the number or symbol assigned to the relevant key is input to input device control section  41 . The input data are sent to communication control section  18  by input device control section  41  as telephone dial data.  
         [0084]    In ST 703 , if the focus HTML input field flag F 1  is OFF, in ST 705 , determination section  38  determines likewise that the dial keys be used for dial input processing.  
         [0085]    As described above, according to the present embodiment, if the focus is in an input field of the HTML document, the input data from dial keys  4  are sent to browser input device  35  of browser function section  32 . This allows the dial keys  4  to be used also for browser input. That is, hard keys used exclusively for entering call numbers can also be used for inputs to hypertexts i.e. hypertexts, such as html documents. Therefore, the operability in entering data in the browser can improve for operators who would feel it easier to enter data from dial keys  4  than soft keyboard  39 . This is because this embodiment can provide those who are unfamiliar with operations of the soft keyboard with operations with the hard keys which are conventionally more familiar.  
         [0086]    The use of dial keys  4  without soft keyboard  39  being displayed prevents the screen of LCD display  3 B from being occupied by soft keyboard  39 , without reducing the display area. This prevents input fields of HTML documents from being hidden.  
         [0087]    The simultaneous use of dial keys  4  also for browser inputs and display of soft keyboard  39  are determined according to the content of setting table  42 . Thus, dial keys  4  or soft keyboard  39  can be selected and used according to the operator&#39;s preferences. The switching between the two is also automatically performed and the operator need not be aware of it.  
         [0088]    Then, in facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment, control of the input device according to the input mode of the dial keys is explained. FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing steps of control of the input device in facsimile apparatus  1  of the present embodiment according to the dial key input mode.  
         [0089]    Facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment can enter hiragana, katakana and alphabetic characters using dial keys  4 . It also has a function to convert hiragana and katakana characters entered to kanji characters. For example, kanji conversion is performed by pressing down the “*” and “#” keys after entering hiragana characters, etc. The input modes of dial keys  4  are switched by assigning a mode change function to the “*” or “#” key, for example, and pressing them .  
         [0090]    In ST 801 , determination section  38  checks based on the dial key/input mode flags in setting table  42  whether or not the input mode of dial keys  4  is numeric.  
         [0091]    If the input mode is numeric, in ST 802 , determination section  38  determines that the input data of dial keys  4  be subjected to browser input processing. More specifically, when one of dial keys  4  is pressed, the number or symbol assigned to the relevant key is input to input device control section  41 . These input data are sent to browser input device  35  of browser function section  32  by input device control section  41 .  
         [0092]    On the other hand, in ST 801 , if the input mode of dial keys  4  is not numeric, when one of dial keys  4  is pressed in ST 803 , the number assigned to the relevant key is stored in RAM  13  as the 1st digit of a character code. In the same way, the numbers input from dial keys  4  are stored one by one. In ST 804 , it is checked whether or not numbers have been entered up to the number of digits of the character codes. If numbers have been entered up to the number of digits of the prescribed character codes, in ST 805 , the numbers stored in RAM  13  are handed over to browser input device  35  as character codes. The character codes are converted to the corresponding characters by a conversion function incorporated in input device control section  41 .  
         [0093]    As shown above, according to the present embodiment, dial keys  4  can enter not only numbers but also alphabetic characters, hiragana, katakana, and kanji.  
         [0094]    Then, details of dial input processing are explained. FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing steps of dial input processing in facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment.  
         [0095]    In ST 901 , determination section  38  determines whether or not PSTN  16  is being used. If it is not used, in ST 902 , input device control section  41  checks whether or not there are telephone dial data from dial keys  4 .  
         [0096]    In ST 902 , if data from dial keys  4  are not telephone dial data, in ST 903 , determination section  38  checks whether or not there are dial icons of dial screen  40 , that is, telephone dial data from touch panel  3 B.  
         [0097]    In ST 902  and ST 903 , if there is any entry of telephone dial data, in ST 904 , determination section  38  instructs communication control section  18  to send the telephone dial data to PSTN  16 . Here, the telephone dial data can be sent to PSTN  16  one by one or all telephone dial data can be stored temporarily in RAM  13  and then sent altogether to PSTN  16  when handset  6  is off-hooked.  
         [0098]    On the other hand, in ST 901 , if PSTN  16  is in use and, in ST 904 , no telephone dial data from both touch panel  3 B and dial keys  4  are sent, inputs from touch panel  3 B and dial keys  4  are ignored and the telephone dial data disabled in ST 905 .  
         [0099]    As shown above, the present embodiment allows dial inputs from both touch panel  3 B and dial keys  4 . Thus, if it is difficult for the operator to see dial keys  4  or operate them due to a certain angle of elevation of touch panel display  3 , the operator can perform dial inputs from dial screen  40 . Furthermore, telephone dial data are sent to PSTN  16  only when PSTN  16  is not in use, which will prevent call processing from being mistakenly executed during a call.  
         [0100]    Then, dial input processing is explained in detail. FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing steps of dial input processing in facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment.  
         [0101]    As shown above, if the operator browses a HTML document and moves the focus to an input field of the HTML document, the input mode of dial keys  4  is switched from dial input to browser input. Control of the input device when handset  6  is detached in this state is performed as follows.  
         [0102]    First, in ST 1001 , determination section  38  checks whether or not handset  6  is detached. This checking is performed by hook-off detection section  43  detecting that NCU  15  has been connected to PSTN  16  due to detachment of handset  6 .  
         [0103]    When handset  6  is detached, in ST 1002 , determination section  38  instructs input device control section  41  to switch the transmission destination of the input data from browser input device  35  to communication control section  18 .  
         [0104]    In ST 1003 , determination section  38  checks whether or not dial input is completed. When dial input is completed, determination section  38  starts the timer in ST 1004 . After confirming that a given time has elapsed in ST 1005 , determination section  38 , in ST 1006 , instructs input device control section  41  to return the transmission destination of the input data from dial keys  4  from communication control section  18  to browser input device  35 .  
         [0105]    As shown above, according to the present invention, the output destination of the dial keys  4  can automatically return from the communication control section  18  to the browser input device  34 . Therefore, the operator can perform dial inputs and browser inputs using dial keys  4  without being aware of it at all.  
         [0106]    Furthermore, when a given time has elapsed after the entry of a call number from dial keys  4  was completed, the output destination of dial keys  4  is returned from communication control section  18  to HTML input field  35 . Thus, after a communication is established, entries can be made to the HTML documents again. The operator need not be aware of the restoring process, either.  
         [0107]    The present invention allows dial keys  4  to be used also for browser inputs and for entering characters and symbols other than numbers. Therefore, it is preferable to indicate whether dial keys  4  are to be used also for browser inputs or exclusively for dial inputs, and display the input mode of dial keys  4  on the screen to allow the operator to grasp it at first sight.  
         [0108]    More specifically, according to the results of checking performed by determination section  38  in ST 702  of the flow diagram in FIG. 7, icons, etc. are displayed on the screen of LCD display  3 A or separately provided LED lamps are lit to indicate whether or not dial keys  4  are used also for browser inputs. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, at the top right of touch panel display  3  is browser input LED  203  for indicating whether or not dial keys  4  are used also for browser inputs, next to power supply LED  201  and answering LED  202  for showing ON/OFF of the automatic message recording function.  
         [0109]    Furthermore, in ST 801  shown in FIG. 8, determination section  38  determines the input mode of dial keys  4 , checking whether it is numeric or character code and based on this result it displays the input mode on LCD display  3 A using icons or characters, etc  
         [0110]    Facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment can freely change the angle of elevation of touch panel display  3  as shown above. Depending on the angle of elevation, dial keys  4  may be hidden behind touch panel display  3 , for example, when touch panel display  3  is laid with its screen facing upward.  
         [0111]    [0111]FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C are drawings showing transition of angle adjustment of the touch panel display of facsimile apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11A, touch panel display  3  is attached to main body  2  via hinge section  110 . Hinge section  110  is connected with touch panel display  3  at junction  110   a  and with main body  2  at junction  110   b  in a pivotable manner. Therefore, the operator can change touch panel display  3  from a first upright posture with screen  3   a  facing forward as shown in FIG. 11A to a position with screen  3   a  facing upward as shown in FIG. 11B by raising the bottom of touch panel display  3 . Then, the operator can change touch panel to display  3  in a second posture with screen  3   a  facing upward and covering main body  2  as shown in FIG. 11C by pressing touch panel display  3  downward. With the second posture, dial keys  4  on main body  2  are hidden. In this case, dial screen  40  as shown in FIG. 12A is used. However, when dial keys  4  are available, for example, when the screen is in an upright position, dial screen  40  does not require dial icon section  40   a.  In such a case, as shown in FIG. 12B, the screen is switched to input result display screen  120  with no dial icon section, giving an enlarged view of the input result of dial keys  4  to improve visibility.  
         [0112]    Switching of screens may carried out when a sensor attached to hinge section  110  of touch panel display  3  detects that touch panel display  3  has exceeded a given angle of elevation.  
         [0113]    The present invention is not particularly limited to the above embodiment. For example, a facsimile apparatus was taken as an example to explain the above embodiment, but the present invention can also include telephones without a facsimile communication function, that is, telephones with an Internet communication function without a printer or scanner. Telephones here include all kinds of communication modes such as portable telephones, PHS, and Internet telephones.  
         [0114]    Moreover, a touch panel display was taken as an example to explain the above embodiment, but the LCD display and touch panel can also be configured separately. Furthermore, an LCD display was taken as an example of display section for the above embodiment, but the display section can also include a CRT display and others. Cursor keys were taken as an example of pointing section for the above embodiment, but the pointing section can also be made up of a track ball, mouse on the like.  
         [0115]    The present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, and various variations and modifications may be possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0116]    This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 10-354897 filed on Dec. 14, 1998, entire content of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.