Facsimile communication device

A facsimile communication device capable of sending first image data corresponding to a first original document set therein and also capable of receiving other image data corresponding to other original documents emanating from other facsimile communication devices, said facsimile communication device, comprising:

• group key means for selecting a plurality of said other facsimile communication devices in response to the operation of a group key;
• designating means responsive to the operation of said group key means for sequentially designating identifying data of said selected plurality of other facsimile communication devices to which said first image data of said first original document should be transmitted or from which said other image data should be transmitted;
• original document detecting means for detecting whether or not said first original document to be transmitted has been set;
• and
• control means directly responsive to said designating means and said detecting means for reading outputs from said designating means and original document detecting means and accordingly controlling data-transmission;
• said control means operating so that if said first original document has been set when said designating means designates identifying data, said plurality of other facsimile communication devices corresponding to the identifying data and to which image data should be transmitted are sequentially called in response to the operation of said group key means to receive the first image data of the first original document, and if the first original document has not been set when said designating means designates the identifying data, said plurality of other facsimile communication devices corresponding to the identifying data and from which the other image data should be transmitted are sequentially called and said other image data is caused to be sequentially transmitted from said other devices;
• said facsimile communicating device further including group storage means for storing said identifying data of a plurality of said other facsimile communication devices and for storing a data group including a plurality of shortened number data each of which is associated with one of said other facsimile communication devices, wherein each of the shortened number data are read out from the group storage means and cause said designating means to sequentially designate said selected plurality when said group key means is operated;
• means for detecting the unavailability of a said other facsimile communication device designated by said designating means, and
• means responsive to said unavailability detection for causing said designating means to designate identifying data associated with a substantial facsimile communication device for said detected unavailable device.