Patent ID: 6853712

Claim:
A data communication apparatus, connectable to a line of an exchange network, having a function of notifying of identification information of a caller, and a function of sharing the line with another terminal connected to said data communication apparatus, said data communication apparatus comprising: a line connection unit, adapted to connect the line to said data communication apparatus itself or the other terminal in accordance with a call-receiving operation from the exchange network; a detection unit, adapted to detect identification information of a caller after connecting to the line; a storage unit, adapted to store the identification information detected by said detection unit; a determination unit, adapted to determine whether data communication by said data communication apparatus itself is to be performed, or whether communication by the other terminal is to be performed, in response to the call-receiving operation; and a processor, adapted to control communication without transferring to the other terminal the identification information of the caller stored in said storage unit after connecting said data communication apparatus itself to the line, when communication by said data communication apparatus itself is to be performed, and, when communication by the other terminal is to be performed, to transfer to the other terminal the identification information of the caller stored in said storage unit before connecting the other terminal to the line, wherein said processor is adapted to, when communication by the other terminal is to be performed, transfer to the other terminal the identification information of the caller stored in said storage unit before connecting the other terminal to the line by a pseudo-Ci-signal which is similar to the signal from the exchange network.