Image communication apparatus, method, and storage medium for performing image communication and voice communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9338315-B2
Application number	US-201414278482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2014
Priority date	May 27, 2013
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A present image communication apparatus performs voice communication with an external apparatus via a network, acquires image communication information indicating an image communication capability of the external apparatus, displays an operation screen that is related to image communication and includes at least information indicating whether or not voice communication can be continued when performing image communication based on the acquired image communication information, and controls image communication in accordance with user input that has been made via the operation screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image communication apparatus comprising:
a detection unit configured to detect an instruction for performing image communication while performing voice communication with one external apparatus with which communication can be performed via a network;
a voice communication unit configured to perform the voice communication with the external apparatus;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire image communication information indicating an image communication capability of the external apparatus;
a display unit configured to display, according to the instruction detected by the detection unit after the voice communication unit starts the voice communication, an operation screen related to the image communication based on the image communication information acquired by the acquisition unit, the operation screen including at least information indicating whether or not the voice communication can be continued while the image communication is performed; and
a control unit configured to start the image communication in a case where a user input made via the operation screen displayed by the display unit indicates that the voice communication is to be continued while the image communication is performed, and terminate the voice communication and start the image communication in a case where the user input indicates that the voice communication is not to be continued while the image communication is performed,
wherein at least one of the detection unit, the voice communication unit, the acquisition unit, or the control unit is implemented by a processor and a memory.

2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
if the external apparatus can continue the voice communication while the image communication is performed, the display unit further displays the operation screen in a manner so as to enable selection of whether or not the voice communication is continued while the image communication is performed.

3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
if the external apparatus cannot continue the voice communication while image communication is performed, the display unit further displays the operation screen in a manner so as to indicate disconnection of the voice communication while the image communication is performed and to enable selection of whether or not to perform the image communication.

4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a creation unit configured to create image communication information of external apparatuses, on a per-apparatus basis, based on a communication history of the image communication that has been performed following the voice communication, and define the created image communication information in a table,
wherein the acquisition unit acquires the image communication information of the external apparatus from the table created by the creation unit,
wherein at least one of the detection unit, the voice communication unit, the acquisition unit, the control unit, or the creation unit t is implemented by the processor and the memory.

5. The image communication apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the image communication information includes a destination name and a destination address of the external apparatus, an updated date and time when the image communication information is defined in the table, and information of continued speech communication indicating whether or not image communication can be performed with continuation of speech communication via voice, and
if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the updated date, the creation unit updates the image communication information based on a new communication history.

6. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the acquisition unit acquires the image communication information through user input.

7. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the image communication is a facsimile communication according to a digital facsimile procedure compliant with an ITU-T recommendation T.38, or a facsimile communication according to a digital facsimile procedure compliant with an ITU-T recommendation T.30.

8. A control method for an image communication apparatus, comprising:
detecting an instruction for performing image communication while performing voice communication with one external apparatus with which communication can be performed via a network;
performing the voice communication with the external apparatus;
acquiring image communication information indicating an image communication capability of the external apparatus;
displaying, according to the detected instruction after the voice communication is started, an operation screen related to the image communication based on the acquired image communication information, the operation screen including at least information indicating whether or not the voice communication can be continued while the image communication is performed; and
starting the image communication in a case where a user input made via the displayed operation screen indicates that the voice communication is continued while the image communication is performed, and terminating the voice communication and starting the image communication in a case where the user input indicates that the voice communication is not continued while the image communication is performed.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an image communication apparatus, the method comprising:
detecting an instruction for performing image communication while performing voice communication with one external apparatus with which communication can be performed via a network;
performing the voice communication with the external apparatus;
acquiring image communication information indicating an image communication capability of the external apparatus;
displaying, according to the detected instruction after the voice communication is started, an operation screen related to the image communication based on the acquired image communication information, the operation screen including at least information indicating whether or not the voice communication can be continued while the image communication is performed; and
starting the image communication in a case where a user input made via the displayed operation screen indicates that the voice communication is continued while the image communication is performed, and terminating the voice communication and starting the image communication in a case where the user input indicates that the voice communication is not continued while the image communication is performed.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ohara Eiji
• Koizumi Shigeru
• Suga Daisuke
• Fukushima Michio

Classifications

• H04N1/33307

  prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only · CPC title

• H04N1/33392

  Details of handshaking · CPC title

• H04N1/32797

  Systems adapted to communicate over more than one channel, e.g. via ISDN (changing transmission mode according to type of channel H04N2201/33364; multichannel or multilink communication protocols H04L69/14) · CPC title

• H04N1/32784

  using a voice request · CPC title

• H04N1/32704

  Establishing a communication with one of a facsimile and another telecommunication apparatus sharing a single line · CPC title