Communication apparatus

Claim 2

A communication apparatus comprising: image data communication means for communicating image data; character data processing means for processing data; detect means for detecting a calling signal from a destination; send means for sending a protocol signal for image data communication to the destination in response to detection of the calling signal; receive means for receiving a dial signal from the destination; and control means for controlling said image data communication means to perform image data communication upon reception of a response signal from the destination representing an image data communication procedure responsive to the protocol signal, and for controlling said character data process means to process said character data upon reception of a specific signal by said receive means while said receive means is waiting to receive the response signal.

Claim 3

A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said character data process means processes character data in accordance with a dial signal received by said receive means.

Claim 4

A communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said character data process means includes converter means for converting a dial signal into character data, and processes the character data converted by said converter means.

Claim 5

A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein respective characters are represented by respective combinations of two dial signals each, and said converter means includes a memory storing a character font to be accessed by such combinations of two dial signals received by said receive means.

Claim 6

A communication apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said character data process means converts the received dial signals into character data sequentially.

Claim 7

A communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said character data process means includes a memory storing a plurality of messages therein and means for outputting a message, and selects a message from the memory to cause said output means to output the message so selected.

Claim 8

A communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said message output means records and outputs a message.

Claim 9

A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising recording means for recording image data and character data processed by said character data process means.

Claim 10

A communication system comprising: image data communication means for communicating image data; record means for recording image data; memory means storing at least one message therein; detect means for detecting a calling signal from a destination; send means for sending a protocol signal for image data communication to the destination in response to detection of the calling signal; receive means for receiving a dial signal from the destination; and control means for controlling said image data communication means to perform image data communication upon reception of a response signal from the destination representing an image data communication procedure responsive to the protocol signal, and for controlling said record means to record a message stored in said memory means upon reception of a specific signal by said receive means while said receive means is waiting to receive said response signal.

Claim 11

A communication system comprising: image data communication means for communicating image data; record means for recording image data; memory means storing at least one message therein; detect means for detecting a calling signal from a destination; send means for sending a protocol signal for image data communication to the destination in response to detection of the calling signal; receive means for receiving a dial signal from the destination; and control means for controlling said image data communication means to perform image data communication upon reception of a response signal from the destination representing an image data communication procedure responsive to the protocol signal, and for controlling said record means to record a message stored in said memory means upon reception of a specific signal by said receive means while said receive means is waiting to receive said response signal.

Claim 12

A communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means converts a message stored in said memory means into image data and said record means records the converted image data.

Claim 13

A communication apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for adding character data to a message recorded by said record means, in response to a dial signal received by said receive means, wherein said control means records the message with the added character data.

Claim 14

A communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said memory stores a plurality of messages and said control means selects from among those messages in response to a dial signal received by said receive means, and records the messages thus selected.

Claim 15

A communication system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one message is predetermined.