Facsimile machine for use in combination with PC

A facsimile system comprising:

• a facsimile machine having an input/output interface and a first storage device, and a printing section, said facsimile machine receiving data from a data communicating machine when a telephone link is established between said facsimile machine and said data communicating device;
• a data processing device connected to said input/output interface of said facsimile machine, said data processing device having a second data storage device;
• first detection means for detecting a residual amount of storage capacity in said first storage device and said second storage device and outputting a first detection signal indicative of the residual amount of storage capacity in said first storage device and a second detection signal indicative of the residual amount of storage capacity in said second storage device;
• second detection means for detecting a status of said printing section and outputting a printer status signal;
• selection means for selecting one of said first storage device and said second storage device in response to at least one of the first detection signal and the second detection signal;
• and
• control means for storing the data in the selected one of said first storage device and said second storage device when the printer status detection signal indicates that said printing section is in an inoperable condition.

A facsimile machine for use with a data processing device that includes a second data storage device, the facsimile machine receiving data from a data communicating machine when a telephone link is established between the facsimile machine and the data communicating device, the facsimile machine including:

• a first storage device;
• an input/output interface connected to the data processing device;
• detection means for detecting a residual amount of storage capacity in said first storage device and said second storage device and outputting a first detection signal indicative of the residual amount of storage capacity in said first storage device and a second detection signal indicative of the residual amount of storage capacity in said second storage device;
• selection means for selecting one of said first storage device and said second storage device in response to at least one of the first detection signal and the second detection signal;
• and
• control means for storing the data in the selected one of said first storage device and said second storage device;
• wherein when said first detection signal first indicates that the residual amount of storage capacity in said first storage device is greater than a predetermined minimum, said selection means selects said first storage device, and thereafter when said first detection signal indicates that the residual amount of storage capacity in said first storage device has become less than the predetermined minimum after storing a part of the data in said first storage device, said selection means selects said second storage device so that said control means stores a remaining part of the data in said second storage device.