Patent ID: 8717606

Claim:
A communication apparatus directly connected to a relay apparatus via a digital communication path and an analog communication path that is provided separately from the digital communication path, the relay apparatus relaying communication performed with a source communication apparatus, the digital communication path being used for communication using a digital communication standard, the analog communication path being used for communication using an analog communication standard, the communication apparatus comprising: a communication start request receiving unit that receives, via the digital communication path, a communication start request that is transmitted via the relay apparatus; and a response notification output unit that outputs a first response notification or a second response notification to the relay apparatus via the digital communication path when the communication start request receiving unit receives, via the digital communication path, a communication start request for starting communication with the source communication apparatus using the analog communication standard in a case where the number of apparatuses with which the communication apparatus is communicating using the analog communication standard has reached a predetermined number, the first response notification indicating that communication is being performed, the second response notification having a lower priority than the first response notification in an arbitration process of arbitrating the notifications, the arbitration process being executed by the relay apparatus.