Data communication apparatus connected to external information processing terminal through interface

Abstract

In the communication between a facsimile apparatus and an information processing terminal, the communication of status information of the facsimile apparatus is efficiently effected and an operation efficiency of the apparatus is improved. In response to a command from the information processing terminal, information indicating a change in the status of the facsimile apparatus is set in a response transmitted from the facsimile apparatus to the information processing terminal, and the information processing terminal conducts a communication request of the status information of the facsimile apparatus in accordance with the information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A data communication apparatus for receiving a command from an external information processing terminal, transmitting a response for the received command to said information processing terminal and executing a process corresponding to the command, comprising: 
 status monitor means for monitoring apparatus status; and    means for transmitting information on the apparatus status upon transmission of said response in accordance with the status monitoring by said status monitor means.    
     
     
         2 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the information on the apparatus status is information indicating a change of the apparatus status.  
     
     
         3 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 storage means for storing the apparatus status detected by said status monitor means and information indicating whether the apparatus status has been changed or not;  
 wherein the information on the apparatus status is transmitted when the information indicating the change of the apparatus status has occurred is stored in said storage means upon the transmission of said response.  
 
     
     
         4 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said response includes information indicating whether said command is to be accepted or not.  
     
     
         5 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the information on the apparatus status is information on the apparatus status detected by said status monitor means.  
     
     
         6 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein a status request command for requesting the transmission of information on the apparatus status from said information processing terminal is received, and in response to said status request command, the information on the apparatus status detected by said status monitor means is transmitted.  
     
     
         7 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the information on the apparatus status includes information on status of a data input unit in said data communication apparatus, information on status of a data output unit and information on operation status of said data communication apparatus.  
     
     
         8 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein a response indicating the absence of status information to be noticed is transmitted to said information processing terminal when there is no change in the apparatus status upon the reception of the status request command.  
     
     
         9 . A data communication apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said status monitor means periodically monitors the change of the apparatus status, and upon detection of the change of the apparatus status, stores information indicating the change of the apparatus status in said storage means.  
     
     
         10 . A processing method in an information processing terminal for transmitting a command to cause a data communication apparatus to execute a desired process and receiving a response indicating whether said command is acceptable or not from said data communication apparatus, comprising the steps of: 
 detecting whether information indicating a change in the data communication apparatus status has occurred is included in said response or not; and    recognizing the data communication apparatus status in accordance with a result of the detection.    
     
     
         11 . A process method according to  claim 10  wherein a status request command for requesting the transmission of information on the data communication apparatus status is transmitted in accordance with the result of the detection, information on the apparatus status transmitted from said data communication apparatus is received in response to the status request command, and the data communication apparatus status is recognized in accordance with the received information.  
     
     
         12 . A process method according to  claim 10  wherein a command is transmitted to said data communication apparatus in accordance with a request from a terminal of a local area network.  
     
     
         13 . A process method according to  claim 11  wherein the data communication apparatus status information is stored in a memory, and the data communication apparatus status is displayed in accordance with the stored status information.  
     
     
         14 . A process method according to  claim 13  wherein the status information of said memory is updated based on the received status information.  
     
     
         15 . A storage medium containing a program executable by a computer for transmitting a command to cause a data communication apparatus to execute a desired process and receiving a response indicating whether said command is acceptable by said data communication apparatus or not, comprising the steps of: 
 detecting whether information indicating a change in the data communication apparatus status has occurred is included in said response or not; and    recognizing the data communication apparatus status in accordance with a result of the detection.    
     
     
         16 . A storage medium according to  claim 15  further comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a status request command for requesting the transmission of information on the data communication apparatus status in accordance with the result of the detection;  
 receiving information on the apparatus status transmitted from said data communication apparatus in response to the status request command; and  
 recognizing the data communication apparatus status in accordance with the received information.  
 
     
     
         17 . A storage medium according to  claim 15  further comprising the step of: 
 transmitting a command to said data communication apparatus in accordance with a request from a terminal of a local area network.  
 
     
     
         18 . A storage medium according to  claim 15  further comprising the step of: 
 storing the data communication apparatus status information in a memory, and displaying the data communication apparatus status in accordance with the stored status information.  
 
     
     
         19 . A storage medium according to  claim 18  further comprising the step of: 
 updating the status information of said memory based on the received status information.