ADAPTIVE FACSIMILE REDUNDANCY

• US 20130271782A1
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dialogic, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dialogic, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Ashmore, Allan, Rus, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,871,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33361 according to characteristics or the state of the communication line H04N1/33353 and H04N2201/33371 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode

Abstract

Forward error correction is implemented in a facsimile transmission using adaptive redundancy. The depth of redundancy can change based on a number of factors, including lost packet counts, transport type, facsimile modulation type, call history or facsimile engine state changes. Separate redundancy depths can be implemented for image and for control phases of the facsimile call. Redundancy depth can be increased or decreased during a facsimile call, and may be maintained at an increased level once encountered transmission impediments are overcome. Variable redundancy can be provided for specific portions of the call, such as temporarily increased redundancy during control phases. Adaptive redundancy may be implemented at one or more endpoints or nodes in a packet-switched communication network through which the facsimile call passes. The adaptive redundancy contributes to improving successful facsimile call completion in communication networks that may be prone to error losses.

Claims

11. A method for processing a facsimile call with a facsimile endpoint device, comprising:

receiving a parameter value related to processing a facsimile call;

generating a redundancy depth value for use in processing the facsimile call, based at least in part on the received parameter value;

storing the redundancy depth value in a memory storage that is accessible for processing the facsimile call; and

processing the facsimile call using the redundancy depth value.

1. A facsimile device for processing a facsimile call, comprising:

a memory storage for storing a redundancy depth value for use with the facsimile call;

a redundancy controller communicatively coupled to the memory storage and being operable to calculate the redundancy depth value, based at least in part on at least one input related to operation of the facsimile device, and being operable to store the redundancy depth value in the memory storage; and

a processing engine communicatively coupled to the memory storage and being operable to access and apply the redundancy depth value in processing the facsimile call.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a previous redundancy depth value that is stored in the memory storage is used to generate the redundancy depth value.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the redundancy controller is operable to increase or decrease the previous redundancy depth value to generate the redundancy depth value.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control component communicatively coupled to the redundancy controller and being operable to provide a parameter value related to facsimile call processing to the redundancy controller as an input to which the redundancy controller is responsive.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the control component includes one or more of a call control unit, a storage device for storing historical facsimile call data, a lost packet detector, a transport engine, a configuration manager, an external network monitoring device or a facsimile engine.

6. The device according to claim 4, wherein the parameter value is related to one or more of a prior call history, configured or negotiated transport type, lost packet counts, facsimile modulation type or a facsimile engine state change.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the facsimile engine state change comprises one or more of a change between image and control phases, modem train-down, command retry, transmitting silence or managing error correction mode commands.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the memory storage further comprises an image redundancy depth and a control redundancy depth.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the redundancy controller is operable to modulate the control redundancy depth in accordance with operations during a control phase of the facsimile call.

10. The device according to claim 3, wherein the redundancy controller is operable to increase the previous redundancy depth value to generate the redundancy depth value, and the processing engine is operable to provide a command retry with the so generated redundancy depth value.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein receiving a parameter value further comprises:

receiving a previous redundancy depth value from the memory storage.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein generating the redundancy depth value further comprises:

increasing or decreasing the previous redundancy depth value.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

determining the parameter value based at least in part on one or more of a prior call history, configured or negotiated transport type, lost packet counts, facsimile modulation type or a facsimile engine state change.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the facsimile engine state change comprises one or more of a change between image and control phases, modem train-down, command retry, transmitting silence or managing error correction mode commands.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

modulating the control redundancy depth during the control phase of the facsimile call.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

generating the redundancy depth value by increasing the previous redundancy depth value; and

providing a command retry with the so generated redundancy depth value.

15-1. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

generating an image redundancy depth value and a control redundancy depth value for respective image and control phases of the facsimile call.

18. A method for implementing adaptive redundancy depth in a facsimile device, comprising:

receiving a parameter value related to operation of the facsimile device;

generating a redundancy depth value based at least in part on the parameter value; and

using the redundancy depth value for operation of the facsimile device.