Communication control unit

Claim 2

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to another terminal equipment, comprising: receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment; transmit means for transmitting the data received from the one terminal equipment to the other terminal equipment; first setting means for selecting one of a plurality of data reception rates to set the selected one as a first data reception rate for receiving data from the one terminal equipment; and second setting means for setting a second date transmission rate of said transmit means for transmitting the received data to the other terminal equipment in accordance with the first data reception rate, said second data transmission rate being set to a value no greater than the first data reception rate.

Claim 3

A communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmit means includes modulate means for modulating the received data and transmits the received data modulated by said modulate means to the other terminal equipment.

Claim 4

A communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transmit means includes memory means for storing the data received by said receive means and transmits the data stored in said memory means to the other terminal equipment.

Claim 5

A communication control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second setting means includes means for changing the second data transmission rate of said transmit means during data transmission by said transmit means, and maintains unchanged the first data reception rate set by said first setting means when the second data transmission rate of said transmit means is changed during data transmission.

Claim 6

A communication control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for receiving transmission request data from the one terminal equipment, wherein said transmit means transmits the received data in accordance with the transmission request data.

Claim 7

A communication control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transmit means converts the transmission request data into a form acceptable by the other terminal equipment and sends the converted data in a data communication protocol signal to the other terminal equipment.

Claim 8

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to another terminal equipment, comprising: receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment; transmit means for transmitting the data received from the one terminal equipment to the other terminal equipment; first communication protocol means for performing a first data communication protocol with the one terminal equipment, said first communication protocol means selecting one of a plurality of data reception rates to set the selected one as a first data reception rate for receiving data from the one terminal equipment, on the basis of the first data communication protocol; second communication protocol means for performing a second data communication protocol with the other terminal equipment, said second date communication protocol means setting a second data transmission rate of the transmit means for transmitting the received data to the other terminal equipment; and control means for controlling the setting of said second data transmission rate in said second communication protocol in response to said first data reception rate set in said first communication protocol such that said second data transmission rate is no greater than said first data reception rate.

Claim 9

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to another terminal equipment, comprising: receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment; transmit means for transmitting the data received from the one terminal equipment to the other terminal equipment; first communication protocol means for performing a first data communication protocol with the one terminal equipment, said first communication protocol means selecting one of a plurality of data reception rates to set the selected one as a first data reception rate for receiving data from the one terminal equipment, on the basis of the first data communication protocol; second communication protocol means for performing a second data communication protocol with the other terminal equipment, said second date communication protocol means setting a second data transmission rate of the transmit means for transmitting the received data to the other terminal equipment; and control means for controlling the setting of said second data transmission rate in said second communication protocol in response to said first data reception rate set in said first communication protocol such that said second data transmission rate is no greater than said first data reception rate.

Claim 10

A communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control means sets the second data transmission rate of said transmit means to be lower than the first date reception rate between said receive means and the other terminal equipment.

Claim 11

A communication control apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said second communication protocol means converts a first data communication protocol signal received from the one terminal equipment by said first communication protocol means into a protocol signal acceptable by the other terminal equipment and sends the converted protocol signal to the other terminal equipment.

Claim 12

A communication control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a data communication protocol sent by said first communication protocol means to any other terminal equipment remains constant.

Claim 13

A communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said transmit means includes memory means for storing the data received by said receive means, and transmits the data stored in said memory means to the other terminal equipment.

Claim 14

A communication control according to claim 7, wherein said control means includes change means for changing the second data transmission rate of said transmit means during data transmission by said transmit means, and maintains unchanged the first data reception rate between said receive means and the other terminal equipment when said change means changes the second data transmission rate of said transmit means.

Claim 15

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to a plurality of different types of terminal equipment, said apparatus comprising: receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment; first transmission means for transmitting data received by said receive means to a first type of terminal equipment in accordance with a first communication protocol, the first type of terminal equipment being a terminal equipment for processing facsimile data; second transmission means for transmitting data received by said receive means to a second type of terminal equipment in accordance with a second communication protocol, the second type of terminal equipment being a terminal equipment for processing code data; and select means for selecting one of said first transmission means and said second transmission means in response to a command signal from the one terminal equipment.

Claim 16

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to a plurality of different types of terminal equipment, said apparatus comprising: receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment; first transmission means for transmitting data received by said receive means to a first type of terminal equipment in accordance with a first communication protocol, the first type of terminal equipment being a terminal equipment for processing facsimile data; second transmission means for transmitting data received by said receive means to a second type of terminal equipment in accordance with a second communication protocol, the second type of terminal equipment being a terminal equipment for processing code data; and select means for selecting one of said first transmission means and said second transmission means in response to a command signal from the one terminal equipment.

Claim 17

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to a plurality of different types of terminal equipment, said apparatus comprising: first transmit means for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to a plurality of different types of terminal equipment to a first type of terminal equipment for processing facsimile data in accordance with a first communication protocol; second transmit means for transmitting data from the one terminal equipment to a second type of terminal equipment for processing code data in accordance with a second communication protocol; select means for selecting one of said first transmit means and said second transmit means, said select means selecting said first transmit means or said second transmit means in response to a command from the one terminal equipment; and receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment irrespective of the selection by said select means, said receive means receiving said data on the basis of a common communication protocol.

Claim 18

A communication control apparatus for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to a plurality of different types of terminal equipment, said apparatus comprising: first transmit means for transmitting data from one terminal equipment to a plurality of different types of terminal equipment to a first type of terminal equipment for processing facsimile data in accordance with a first communication protocol; second transmit means for transmitting data from the one terminal equipment to a second type of terminal equipment for processing code data in accordance with a second communication protocol; select means for selecting one of said first transmit means and said second transmit means, said select means selecting said first transmit means or said second transmit means in response to a command from the one terminal equipment; and receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment irrespective of the selection by said select means, said receive means receiving said data on the basis of a common communication protocol.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising receive means for receiving data from the one terminal equipment irrespective of the selection by said select means, said receive means receiving said data on the basis of a common communication protocol.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said first type of communication equipment is a facsimile machine and said second type of terminal equipment is a data communication terminal.