Personal computer image communications using facsimile

A prototype terminal is described whereby image application services are obtained by combining the personal computer (PC) and facsimile, in which image input/output and the communication functions are integrated in a single unit. An architecture is suggested which combines the functions of the PC and facsimile, such as display, scanning, printing, storage, and communications. The basic concept of the architecture is as follows: (1) to divide the functional resources of the PC an facsimile, and to call each of them a process; (2) to introduce a unified protocol into the image transfer between the processes; and (3) to introduce a transfer environment in which protocol elements are transferred regardless of the state of the process. It has been confirmed that complex image application services with unified processing can be realized with the architecture.<>