Data communication system

Claim 2

A data communication apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a predetermined amount of transmission data; recognition means for recognizing information representing the predetermined amount of transmission data; calculation means for calculating a communication charge in accordance with the information recognized by said recognition means; display means for visually displaying the communication charge in response to said calculation means; and transmission means for transmitting the transmission data input by said input means after said display means displays the communication charge.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays the communication charge on a display panel.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said calculation means comprises a charge table for calculating the communication charge in accordance with the information recognized by said recognition means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising selection means for selecting if the communication charge is to be displayed by said display means.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input means comprises reading means for reading an original document and output means for outputting image data representing an image of the original document.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recognition means comprises a memory means to store therein the transmission data and the information.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an encoding means for encoding the transmission data, wherein the encoded transmission data is stored in said memory means.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising clearing means for clearing, prior to said transmission means transmitting the data, the transmission data stored in said memory.

Claim 10

A data communication apparatus comprising: reading means for reading an original document as image data; encoding means for encoding the image data from said reading means in a predetermined coding system; memory means for storing therein the image data encoded by said encoding means; transmission means for transmitting the image data stored in said memory means; detection means for detecting an amount of the stored image data to be transmitted by said transmission means; calculation means for calculating a communication charge when said transmission means transmits the image data stored in said memory means, in accordance with the amount of the image data detected by said detection means; and display means for displaying the communication charge calculated by said calculation means prior to said transmission means transmitting the image data.

Claim 11

A data communication apparatus comprising: reading means for reading an original document as image data; encoding means for encoding the image data from said reading means in a predetermined coding system; memory means for storing therein the image data encoded by said encoding means; transmission means for transmitting the image data stored in said memory means; detection means for detecting an amount of the stored image data to be transmitted by said transmission means; calculation means for calculating a communication charge when said transmission means transmits the image data stored in said memory means, in accordance with the amount of the image data detected by said detection means; and display means for displaying the communication charge calculated by said calculation means prior to said transmission means transmitting the image data.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said calculation means comprises a charge table storing charges for various amounts of the image data, for calculating the communication charge.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said transmission means transmits the image data to a destination station at a transmission distance and said calculation means calculates a transmission time required for transmitting the image data in response to the amount of the image data detected by said detecting means and calculates the communication charge based on the transmission time and the transmission distance.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said display means visually displays the communication charge on a display panel.

Claim 15

A data communication apparatus comprising: data communication means for communicating a predetermined amount of data using a plurality of communication modes; calculation means for calculating, prior to said data communication means communicating the data, a communication charge in accordance with the predetermined amount of data and the communication modes; memory means for storing the communication charge, wherein said memory means is accessed in accordance with the communication modes and the amount of data; and display means for displaying the communication charge calculated by said calculation means prior to said data communications means communicating said data.

Claim 16

A data communication apparatus comprising: data communication means for communicating a predetermined amount of data using a plurality of communication modes; calculation means for calculating, prior to said data communication means communicating the data, a communication charge in accordance with the predetermined amount of data and the communication modes; memory means for storing the communication charge, wherein said memory means is accessed in accordance with the communication modes and the amount of data; and display means for displaying the communication charge calculated by said calculation means prior to said data communications means communicating said data.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of communication modes includes communication speed and communication distance.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising input means for inputting image data and an image memory for storing the image data wherein said image data is communicated by said data communication means and the amount of data is calculated from the data stored in said image memory.