Communication apparatus

Claim 2

A communication apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; first discriminating means for discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received by said receiving means; second discriminating means for discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus itself; and display control means for selectively performing one of a first display and a second display on a display unit, the first display being performed when discrimination results by said first discriminating means and said second discriminating means indicate that the first and second peripheral devices are operable, and the second display being performed when the discrimination results by said first discriminating means and said second discriminating means indicate that the first and/or second peripheral devices are not operable.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives the information at a communication start timing between said communication apparatus and the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives the information at intervals of a predetermined time after start of the communication start timing between said communication apparatus and the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display unit includes a liquid crystal panel.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising communication means for communicating at least one of an audio signal, an image signal and data with the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 7

A communication apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; first discriminating means for discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received by said receiving means; second discriminating means for discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus itself; display control means for displaying the operation states of the first and second peripheral devices by icons according to discrimination results by said first discriminating means and said second discriminating means, wherein said display control means changes a display state according to the discrimination results by said first discriminating means and said second discriminating means.

Claim 8

A communication apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; first discriminating means for discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received by said receiving means; second discriminating means for discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus itself; display control means for displaying the operation states of the first and second peripheral devices by icons according to discrimination results by said first discriminating means and said second discriminating means, wherein said display control means changes a display state according to the discrimination results by said first discriminating means and said second discriminating means.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said receiving means receives the information at a communication start timing between said communication apparatus and the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said receiving means receives the information at intervals of a predetermined time after start of the communication start timing between said communication apparatus and the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said display unit includes a liquid crystal panel.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising communication means for communicating at least one of an audio signal, an image signal and data with the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 13

A communication apparatus comprising: detecting means for detecting an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus; receiving means for receiving information of an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to a partner communication apparatus; discriminating means for discriminating the operation state of each of the first and second peripheral devices according to the respective operation status information of the first and second peripheral devices; and output means for outputting detection result data and discrimination result data so as to display a detection result by said detecting means and a discrimination result by said discriminating means.

Claim 14

A communication apparatus comprising: detecting means for detecting an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus; receiving means for receiving information of an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to a partner communication apparatus; discriminating means for discriminating the operation state of each of the first and second peripheral devices according to the respective operation status information of the first and second peripheral devices; and output means for outputting detection result data and discrimination result data so as to display a detection result by said detecting means and a discrimination result by said discriminating means.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said receiving means receives the information at a communication start timing between said communication apparatus and the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said receiving means receives the information at intervals of a predetermined time.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said output means includes a liquid crystal panel.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising communication means for communicating at least one of an audio signal, an image signal and data with the partner communication apparatus.

Claim 19

A communication apparatus comprising: first display means for displaying a first icon indicating a first peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus; second display means for displaying a second icon indicating a second peripheral device connected to a partner communication apparatus; instruction means for issuing an instruction in response to actuation of an arbitrary icon on said first display means or said second display means; and control means for controlling said apparatus to execute a communication operation between the first and second peripheral devices in accordance with corresponding instructions instructed by said instruction means in response to actuation of the corresponding icons.

Claim 20

A communication apparatus comprising: first display means for displaying a first icon indicating a first peripheral device connected to said communication apparatus; second display means for displaying a second icon indicating a second peripheral device connected to a partner communication apparatus; instruction means for issuing an instruction in response to actuation of an arbitrary icon on said first display means or said second display means; and control means for controlling said apparatus to execute a communication operation between the first and second peripheral devices in accordance with corresponding instructions instructed by said instruction means in response to actuation of the corresponding icons.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first icon indicates an image input device and wherein the second icon indicates an image output device.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first icon indicates an image output device and wherein the second icon indicates an image input device.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a display status of each of the first and second icons means indicates an operation status of the peripheral device indicated by the respective icon.

Claim 24

An image communication apparatus for executing an image communication of an image with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information indicating a controllable function of an image input device connected to the partner communication apparatus, the information being different from the image; transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for use in controlling the image input device through the partner communication apparatus; and output means for outputting the information to display it on a display unit.

Claim 25

An image communication apparatus for executing an image communication of an image with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information indicating a controllable function of an image input device connected to the partner communication apparatus, the information being different from the image; transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for use in controlling the image input device through the partner communication apparatus; and output means for outputting the information to display it on a display unit.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the image input device is a camera.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the controllable function includes at least one of pan, tilt and zoom operations.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the information is displayed as an icon.

Claim 29

An image communication apparatus for executing an image communication of an image with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information indicating a kind of image input device connected to the partner communication apparatus, the information being different from the image; transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for use in controlling the image input device through the partner communication apparatus; and output means for outputting the information to display it on display means.

Claim 30

An image communication apparatus for executing an image communication of an image with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information indicating a kind of image input device connected to the partner communication apparatus, the information being different from the image; transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for use in controlling the image input device through the partner communication apparatus; and output means for outputting the information to display it on display means.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the image input device is a camera.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the image input device is a write/picture camera.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the information is displayed as an icon.

Claim 34

A communication method operative in a first communicating apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: a receiving steps of receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; a first discriminating step of discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received in said receiving steps; a second discriminating step for discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to the first communication apparatus; and selectively performing one of a first display and a second display on a display unit, the first display being performed when discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step indicate that the first and second peripheral devices are operable, and the second display being performed when the discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step indicate that the first and/or second peripheral devices are not operable.

Claim 35

A communication method operative in a first communicating apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: a receiving steps of receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; a first discriminating step of discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received in said receiving steps; a second discriminating step for discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to the first communication apparatus; and selectively performing one of a first display and a second display on a display unit, the first display being performed when discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step indicate that the first and second peripheral devices are operable, and the second display being performed when the discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step indicate that the first and/or second peripheral devices are not operable.

Claim 36

A communication method operative in a first communication apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: a receiving step of receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; a first discriminating step of discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received in said receiving step; a second discriminating step of discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to the first communication apparatus; a display step of displaying the operation states of the first and second peripheral devices by icons according to discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step, wherein said display step changes a display state according to the discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step.

Claim 37

A communication method operative in a first communication apparatus for communicating with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: a receiving step of receiving information of an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the partner communication apparatus; a first discriminating step of discriminating the operation state of the first peripheral device according to the received information received in said receiving step; a second discriminating step of discriminating an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to the first communication apparatus; a display step of displaying the operation states of the first and second peripheral devices by icons according to discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step, wherein said display step changes a display state according to the discrimination results by said first discriminating step and said second discriminating step.

Claim 38

A communication method operative in a first communication apparatus, comprising the steps of: detecting an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the first communication apparatus; receiving information of an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to a partner communication apparatus; discriminating the operation state of each of the first and second peripheral devices according to the respective operation status information of the first and second peripheral devices; and outputting detection result data and discrimination result data so as to display a detection result by said detecting step and a discrimination result by said discriminating step.

Claim 39

A communication method operative in a first communication apparatus, comprising the steps of: detecting an operation state of a first peripheral device connected to the first communication apparatus; receiving information of an operation state of a second peripheral device connected to a partner communication apparatus; discriminating the operation state of each of the first and second peripheral devices according to the respective operation status information of the first and second peripheral devices; and outputting detection result data and discrimination result data so as to display a detection result by said detecting step and a discrimination result by said discriminating step.

Claim 44

An image communication apparatus for executing an image communication of an image with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information indicating a kind of image input device connected to the partner communication apparatus, the information being different from the image; transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for use in controlling the image input device through the partner communication apparatus; and output means for outputting the information to display it on display means.

Claim 45

An image communication apparatus for executing an image communication of an image with a partner communication apparatus, comprising: receiving means for receiving information indicating a kind of image input device connected to the partner communication apparatus, the information being different from the image; transmitting means for transmitting a control signal for use in controlling the image input device through the partner communication apparatus; and output means for outputting the information to display it on display means.