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Real-time facsimile transmission over digital networks

  • US 20010024289A1
  • Filed: 02/23/2001
  • Published: 09/27/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1997
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. In a system wherein an originating facsimile terminal equipment (FTE) which operates according to the G3 protocol connects to an intermediate digital network of unknown and unpredictable delay via an originating facsimile interface unit (FIU) and wherein a destination FTE which operates according to the G3 protocol and connects to the network via a destination FIU, a method of providing facsimile communications comprising:

  • (a) the originating FTE sending data to the destination FTE via the originating FIU and the destination FIU;

    (b) the originating FIU sending the data to the destination FIU;

    (c) while the destination FIU is waiting for data from the originating FTE, the destination FIU sending a made-up data to the destination FTE to prevent protocol timeouts of the destination FTE, wherein the destination FIU sends made-up data to the destination FTE until the destination FIU has accumulated some data from the originating FTE;

    (d) the originating FTE, at the end of sending a page of data, sending an end-of-page signal to the destination FTE via the originating FIU;

    (e) the originating FIU delaying acknowledgment to the originating FTE of the end-of-page signal; and

    (f) in response to the delayed acknowledgment, the originating FTE sending an another end-of-page signal to the destination FTE via the originating FIU, thereby allowing the destination FIU and the destination FTE to complete their end-of-page protocol, wherein;

    (i) the data being sent by the originating FTE is scan-line data of a document being sent, and wherein the made-up data comprises data which has a valid format and which was not part of the original document, (ii) the destination FIU sends the made-up data to the destination FTE when the destination FIU has not received a scan line from the originating FIU, and wherein the made-up data comprises a valid scan line, (iii) the destination FIU sends the made-up data to the destination FTE when the destination FIU has received at least some of a scan line from the originating FIU, (iv) the made-up data comprises some of the received scan line and additional data, (v) the kind of made-up data sent to the destination FTE depends on the number of complete, unprinted scan lines that have been received by the destination FIU over the network; and

    (vi) the sending made-up data comprises;

    (1) when the destination FIU detects a slowdown in the arrival of data over the network, sending filled lines to the destination FTE, and (2) when the destination FIU detects unexpected delays in the arrival of data, sending stalling lines to the destination FTE.

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