Abstract: An object of the present invention is to offer a communication network system in which it is possible to connect a logical channel for performing information exchange or information communication between terminals connected to the communication network without inputting an address of a terminal to communicate with. In the communication network according to the present invention in which a logical channel is connected between desired terminals connected to the communication network to perform information exchange or information communication between the desired terminals, a connection controller for a network and communication is provided which specifies a terminal which can be used by a person to communicate with through the communication network by inputting information excluding the address of the terminal to which a connection request is issued to connect the logical channel to the specified terminal.

Abstract: A joint work support system includes a plurality of terminals mutually connected to one another through a network. Each terminal includes a first data communication means and an operation means. The operation means performs operations to support joint work in both a joint work state, when the terminal is connected to another terminal through the network, and a local state, when the terminal is not connected to another terminal through the network. To operate in the local state, each of the terminals includes recording data creating means, second data communication means and reproduction means.

Abstract: A cooperative information processing system in which a cooperative execution application program can utilize an auxiliary application program that is being executed locally. The communication control program has the request conversion unit, the input conversion unit and the server-dependent information table. The communication control program utilizes the server-dependent information table to interpret the format of an inter-application message between the sites and carries out a proper conversion. Thus, communication between the cooperative execution application program and the auxiliary application program locally executed at a specific site, such as for example, the Japanese inputting front end program, is made possible.

Abstract: In a conferencing system comprising telephones and workstations, a conference display control method for a visual user interface is provided. A conference window is displayed on a workstation display during a teleconference and includes a meeting table area as a shared space and a local area which cannot be seen by the other participants. Document objects corresponding to a document application program which is used in the conference are arranged on those areas. The distribution of the documents, reference of information, and execution of the application program can be executed by direct manipulation of objects using a mouse. In the conference window, the document object can be operated at both the cooperative work place and the local work place.

Abstract: A conference system is formed by multiple workstations which have individual conference control programs and are connected to a network, with each workstation having a destination workstation determined in advance so that a ring-shaped logical communication path is formed on the network. A conference control program which detects a fault on its receiving path during a conference sends a fault recovery request message including an identifier of the conference control program itself and the address of the workstation to the neighboring workstation, and the conference control program of the neighboring workstation relays the received fault recovery request message to the next workstation on the ring-shaped logical communication path so that the fault recovery request message is propagated on the ring-shaped logical communication path.

Abstract: A conference support system includes a plurality of computers provided with a graphical user interface (GUI) system and connected by a communication network. Each computer includes a storage section having an area in which a drawing object, such as graphics, characters or the like drawn on a partial screen area shared through the communication network by access by user to the shared partial screen area and comment data concerning the drawing object are stored in association with each other, and a display control module by which the drawing object and the comment data associated with each other and stored in the storage section are displayed on a display section in association with each other, whereby a conference by users with each other can be conducted in such a manner that an individual intention for the drawing object is clearly given to participants in real time while accessing the shared partial screen area such as a shared window.

Abstract: An image communication apparatus includes a reception unit for receiving image data, a recording unit for recording an image on a sheet on the basis of the image data received by the reception unit, a storage unit having a plurality of trays for sorting and storing sheets on which images are recorded by the recording unit, a determination unit for determining the presence/absence of the sheets stored in the trays, and a controller for sequentially selecting the trays with reference to a predetermined tray to sort and store the sheets on which the images are recorded by the recording unit in the storage unit, and selecting the predetermined tray in accordance with a determination of the absence of the sheets by the determination unit, wherein the determination unit determines that no sheet is present in the trays when it is detected that the sheet is removed and that no sheet is present for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An information transmit/receive apparatus comprises a printer having a sheet feed portion and a sheet discharge portion, an original reader having a sheet feed portion and a sheet discharge portion and a sorter having a sheet entrance port which is connected to the sheet discharge portion of the printer via an adapter for coupling the sheet discharge portion and the sheet entrance port together. The adapter has a transparent portion through which the recording sheet passage in the adapter can be visually observed, whereby a jam of a recording sheet in the adapter portion can be easily observed. A control means performs receive and transmit operations.

Abstract: In a collaborative information processing system including a plurality of terminals each having a multiwindow function and each being connected to the other terminal via a network, each terminal includes a plurality of application programs for issuing a request for an input event and a request for a window, a window server for converting input data received from the input device into a logical input event and for updating an image on a display screen depending on the content of an output request received from the application program, a plurality of window library modules connected to the window server via a logical communication path and linked with the application programs, and a control program for communicating an input event with other terminals via the network.

Abstract: A group working system includes a plurality of work stations interconnected through a network and each having a multi-window function. Each work station is provided with a group working user interface program executed under the control of a control program for transferring control information for a group work with the other work stations. When input operation is performed for a window of a group working mode in any one of the work stations, indication information for identifying an operator or work station performing the input operation is output to an additional window which is paired with the above-mentioned window. By making reference to the indication information, each user can avoid conflict in the input operation to the same window of the group working mode with other users.

Abstract: A plurality of work stations each imparted with a multi-window control function are interconnected through an integrated service digital network (ISDN), wherein control communication route is established among a plurality of stations between which interlocutory communication are to be performed. The work stations transfer control commands by way of the control communication route in accordance with operation by users under the control of an interlocution control program to thereby establish or disconnect a logical communication route between designated application programs of the work stations. So long as the logical communication route is established, the application programs can execute data processing in cooperation with each other. In that case, identical change of display in the windows corresponding to the application programs, respectively, takes place in the work stations.

Abstract: A system including a plurality of terminal apparatuses connected to each other via a communication network for achieving joint information processing, such as involved in an electronic joint project and an electronic meeting. The terminal apparatuses are interconnected to each other via a logical ring path formed on the communication network. Each terminal apparatus is loaded with a control program for supervising the joint information processing. Each control program functions in cooperation with control programs of other terminal apparatuses to conduct communication procedures for establishing, for changing, or for terminating the logical ring path and to control a display operation to supply the user with information identifying those members currently participating in the joint information processing.

Abstract: In a conferencing system including a plurality of workstations each having a multiwindow function connected to each other via a network, programs loaded in the respective workstations to control a conference are linked with each other through a logical circular control program's path. A data item inputted from a workstation not having a data effectuation floor qualification is transmitted as a data item in an ineffective state to a next workstation. When received by a workstation possessing the effectuation floor qualification, the data in the ineffective state is converted into an effective data. In each station, application programs and utility programs are responsive only to the data in the effective state, which guarantees the identity of results of data processing achieved in the respective workstations.

Abstract: In a communication system which is arranged to circulate an addressed electronic document among a plurality of terminals which are connected to one another through a transfer path and to sequentially add attest patterns indicative of the approvals of individual reviewing persons to the electronic document, a method for identifying the source of each person's approval symbol and amendments to the document. The data structure of each electronic document communicated between individual terminals is assembled in a data structure which separates the document content data from the attest patterns added to the document by the creating or reviewing person. If any reviewing person requests to amend the contents of the electronic document to which the attest patterns have been added, a display of only the content data of the above electronic document is presented to the reviewing person.

Abstract: A multi-window display method and system for displaying a plurality of overlapping windows so that only portions of windows that are not covered by other windows are displayed. In displaying the first window and then the second window over the first window, the first partial area which belongs to the first window and is covered by the second window, and the second partial area which belongs to the first window but is not covered by the second window are detected; the first partial area is registered as a non-display area; the second partial area is registered as a display area; if reversal of the positional relationship between the first and second windows is instructed, the first partial area, which has been registered as a non-display area, is registered as a display area; and the newly registered display area is displayed on the display unit. The method and system enable speed-up of displaying overlapping windows.

Abstract: A method of drawing figures for a multi-window system in which a plurality of window regions are set on a display screen, and in which a window which is partly overlapped on other windows and is partly concealed is controlled by being divided into a plurality of display or non-display subregions, and the displayed content is changed by designating the window. If a dot constituting the figure is generated from a dot generator, coordinate values of the dot are compared with position data of the designated window to select a dot located in the window. The selected dot is compared with position data of a subregion that constitutes the designated window to find a particular subregion in which the dot exists. If the particular subregion is a display region, the dot located therein is produced on the display screen. A dot generated next is compared with the particular subregion and is determined to be displayed or not.

Abstract: The tangent .alpha. of the tangential line of an image to be drawn at each point in an orthogonal X-Y coordinate system is classified into two angle regions, a first angle region, where a condition -1.ltoreq..alpha.<1 is fulfilled, and a second angle region, where a condition .alpha.<-1 or 1.ltoreq..alpha. is fulfilled. The first and the second angle region is represented by the direction parallel to the X-axis and the direction parallel to the Y-axis, respectively. When the image to be drawn is displayed on a display screen, in the image to be drawn, the parts belonging to the first angle region are drawn with a plurality of segments, each of which is parallel to the X-axis, and the parts blonging to the second angle region are drawn with a plurality of segments, each of which is parallel to the Y-axis. That is, the image to be drawn is displayed on the display screen by using only segments parallel to the X-axis and those parallel to the Y-axis.