Communication device and method for operating the same

Abstract

When a receiver in a control LSI receives a conversation request from another device, a controller in the control LSI determines whether a camera/microphone device is connected to a USB interface in a communication device. If it is determined that the camera/microphone device is not connected to the USB interface in the communication device, the controller in the control LSI performs a message recording operation.

1 . A communication device capable of transmitting and receiving video data and audio data to and from another device and being connectable to an audio input device and an audio output device, the communication device comprising:
 a communication unit configured to be capable of transmitting the video data and the audio data to said other device and receiving the video data and the audio data transmitted from said other device; and   a controller that controls communication of the video data and the audio data by said communication unit,   wherein said controller is configured to be capable of performing a message recording operation for transmitting a response message to said other device by said communication unit while recording a recording message received from said other device by said communication unit, and determine whether said audio input device is connected to said communication device when said communication unit receives a conversation request from said other device, to perform said message recording operation when it determines that said audio input device is not connected to said communication device.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein said controller generates, when it determines that said audio input device is not connected to said communication device, a warning that said audio input device is not connected. 
     
     
         3 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein said communication device is configured to be connectable to a video input device and a video output device, and
 said controller is configured to determine whether said video input device is connected to said communication device when said communication unit receives the conversation request from said other device, to perform said message recording operation when it determines that said video input device is not connected to said communication device.   
     
     
         4 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said controller is configured to be capable of performing a conversation operation for feeding to said audio output device the audio data received from said other device by said communication unit while transmitting to said other device the audio data fed from said audio input device by said communication unit, and determine, when said communication unit receives the conversation request from said other device, whether said audio input device is connected to said communication device and whether an automatic response for starting a conversation operation without a user performing an operation for a conversation response is set, to perform said conversation operation when it determines that said audio input device is connected to said communication device and said automatic response is set.   
     
     
         5 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a main functional unit that performs a main functional operation based on video data and audio data according to the control by said controller. 
     
     
         6 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , wherein said main functional unit is configured to be operable to reproduce video data and audio data recorded on a recording medium. 
     
     
         7 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , wherein said main functional unit is configured to be operable to receive video data and audio data to be broadcast or distributed while respectively outputting the received video data and audio data as video and audio, respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , wherein said main functional unit is configured to be operable to record video data and audio data on a recording medium while being operable to reproduce the video data and the audio data recorded on said recording medium. 
     
     
         9 . A method for operating a communication device capable of transmitting and receiving video data and audio data to and from another device and being connectable to an audio input device and an audio output device, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining by a controller in said communication unit whether said audio input device is connected to said communication device when a conversation request from said other device is received; and   performing a message recording operation for transmitting a response message to said other device when it is determined that said audio input device is not connected to said communication device while recording a recording message received from said other device.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the step of generating, when it is determined that said audio input device is not connected to said communication device, a warning that said audio input device is not connected.