Image communication apparatus and image database system using the same

An image communication apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving facsimile transmission data;
• recognition means for recognizing, at the least, a password for accessing a database, retrieval information for retrieving a desired database, and destination information for specifying a destination facsimile for retrieved image data, from a received facsimile image;
• retrieval means for performing retrieval in accordance with said retrieval information and said password;
• and
• facsimile transmission means for transmitting retrieved data to said destination facsimile according to said destination information,
• wherein said facsimile image can include request information for sending the result of the execution of a retrieval to a calling facsimile.

A method for retrieving data from a database through an image communication apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a facsimile image from a destination facsimile;
• recognizing, at the least, a password for accessing a database, retrieval information for retrieving a desired database, and destination information for specifying the destination facsimile for retrieved data, from the received facsimile image;
• performing retrieval in accordance with said retrieval information and said password;
• transmitting retrieved data to the destination facsimile according to said destination information;
• generating a report of a result of the retrieval;
• combining the report generated by said report generating means and the received facsimile image;
• and
• transmitting the combined information to the destination facsimile.

A method of retrieving data from a database through an image communication apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a facsimile image from a destination facsimile;
• recognizing, at the least, a password for accessing a database, retrieval information for retrieving a desired database, destination information for specifying the destination facsimile for retrieved data, and request information representing whether a report of a result of a retrieval should be sent to the destination facsimile, from the received facsimile image;
• performing retrieval in accordance with said retrieval information and said password;
• transmitting retrieved data to the destination facsimile according to said destination information;
• and
• transmitting a report of the result of the retrieval to the destination facsimile when the request information indicates that the report is to be to the destination facsimile.