Data communication apparatus with an abbreviated dial key having a plurality of dial data and capable of selecting one of two communication functions

Claim 2

A communication apparatus having a first communication mode and a second communication mode, comprising: an abbreviated dial key; a memory for storing first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with said abbreviated dial key; setting means for setting at least one of the first and second dial data to be identified as dial data for the first or second communication mode; detection means for detecting when communication data is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when communication data is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; and control means responsive to key input of the abbreviated dial key for selecting one of the first and second dial data to generate a call based on the selected dial data, and for selecting one of the first and second communication modes in accordance with the setting by said setting means and the detection signal of said detection means.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first communication mode is for effecting data communication and said second communication mode is for effecting speech communication by a telephone set.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said setting means is capable of setting second dial data to be identified as dial data for the second communication mode.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said abbreviated dial key comprises an one-touch dial key.

Claim 6

A communication apparatus having a speech communication mode and a data communication mode, comprising: a console unit including an abbreviated dial key; a memory for storing first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with the abbreviated dial key; a selector circuit for setting at least one of the first and second dial data to be identified as dial data for the speech communication mode or dial data for the data communication mode; a detection circuit for detecting when data for data communication is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when data for data communication is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; a control circuit responsive to key input of the abbreviated dial key for selecting one of the first and second dial data and reading out the dial data from the memory, and for selecting one of the speech communication mode and the data communication mode; and a calling circuit for generating a call according to the dial data from the control circuit; wherein said control circuit selects one of said first and second dial data and selects the data communication mode in accordance with the setting by said selector circuit and the detection signal of said detection circuit.

Claim 7

A communication apparatus having a speech communication mode and a data communication mode, comprising: a console unit including an abbreviated dial key; a memory for storing first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with the abbreviated dial key; a selector circuit for setting at least one of the first and second dial data to be identified as dial data for the speech communication mode or dial data for the data communication mode; a detection circuit for detecting when data for data communication is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when data for data communication is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; a control circuit responsive to key input of the abbreviated dial key for selecting one of the first and second dial data and reading out the dial data from the memory, and for selecting one of the speech communication mode and the data communication mode; and a calling circuit for generating a call according to the dial data from the control circuit; wherein said control circuit selects one of said first and second dial data and selects the data communication mode in accordance with the setting by said selector circuit and the detection signal of said detection circuit.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said abbreviated dial key comprises an one-touch dial key.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said selector circuit is capable of setting the second dial data to be identified as dial data for the speech communication mode.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the second dial data is set as dial data for the data communication by said selector circuit, said control circuit sends the first dial data to said calling circuit in response to the key input, but if a line is not connected to a destination station called by said calling circuit, said control circuit sends the second dial data to said calling circuit.

Claim 11

A calling method using an abbreviated dial key, comprising the steps of: registering first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with one abbreviated dial key; setting one of the first and second dial data to be identified as dial data for speech communication or dial data for data communication; detecting when data for data communication is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when data for data communication is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; selecting one of the first and second dial data in response to the actuation of the abbreviated dial key to call a destination in accordance with the setting in said setting step and the detection signal in said detecting step; and effecting the speech communication or the data communication in accordance with the setting in said setting step and the detection signal in said detecting step.

Claim 12

A calling method using an abbreviated dial key, comprising the steps of: registering first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with one abbreviated dial key; setting one of the first and second dial data to be identified as dial data for speech communication or dial data for data communication; detecting when data for data communication is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when data for data communication is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; selecting one of the first and second dial data in response to the actuation of the abbreviated dial key to call a destination in accordance with the setting in said setting step and the detection signal in said detecting step; and effecting the speech communication or the data communication in accordance with the setting in said setting step and the detection signal in said detecting step.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 9, wherein when the second dial data is set as dial data for the data communication, the first dial data is selected to call a destination, but if a line is not connected to the called destination, the second dial data is selected to call the destination.

Claim 14

A communication apparatus having a speech communication mode and a data communication mode, comprising: an abbreviated dial key; a memory for storing first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with the abbreviated dial key; selector means for selecting (1) the setting of both the first dial data and the second dial data as dial data for data communication, or (2) the setting of the first dial data as dial data for the data communication and the second dial data as dial data for speech communication; detector means for detecting when data for data communication is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when data for data communication is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; and control means for selecting one of the first and second dial data in response to key input of the abbreviated dial key to generate a call based on the selected dial data, and for performing communication control; said control means selecting the dial data and performing the communication control in accordance with the selection by said selector means and the detection signal by said detector means.

Claim 15

A communication apparatus having a speech communication mode and a data communication mode, comprising: an abbreviated dial key; a memory for storing first dial data and second dial data in correspondence with the abbreviated dial key; selector means for selecting (1) the setting of both the first dial data and the second dial data as dial data for data communication, or (2) the setting of the first dial data as dial data for the data communication and the second dial data as dial data for speech communication; detector means for detecting when data for data communication is present to provide a detection signal at a first value, said detection means further detecting when data for data communication is not present to provide the detection signal at a second value; and control means for selecting one of the first and second dial data in response to key input of the abbreviated dial key to generate a call based on the selected dial data, and for performing communication control; said control means selecting the dial data and performing the communication control in accordance with the selection by said selector means and the detection signal by said detector means.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when the first and second dial data are set as dial data for the data communication, said control means selects the first dial data in response to the key input to call a destination, but if a line is not connected to the destination, said control means calls a destination on the basis of the second dial data.