Point of presence (POP) for digital facsimile network

• US 5,739,919 A
• Filed: 05/17/1996
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NKO, Inc. (MegaHertz Communications Corp)
• Original Assignee: NKO, Inc. (MegaHertz Communications Corp)
• Inventors: Platteter, Dale T., Lee, Warren S., Copp, David W., Carrier, Neil P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Sr., Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US08/649,571
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/402-403, 358/407, 358/434, 358/440, 358/442, 358/468, 379/100.01, 379/100.12, 379/100.17
• US Class Current: 358/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/001 specially adapted for transmission via digital wireline networks H04N1/00098 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33353 according to the available bandwidth used for a single communication, e.g. the number of ISDN channels used
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33369 Storage of mode or retrieval of prestored mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33376 according to characteristics or state of one of the communicating parties, e.g. available memory capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33364 Type of modulation; Type of channel, e.g. digital or analog; Type of communication, e.g. half-duplex or full-duplex

Abstract

A fax network for communicating fax transmissions over either a conventional public switched telephone network or a digital (frame relay) network based on a telephone number of a destination fax machine. If the destination fax machine can be serviced by the digital network, a faxjack intercepts the phone digits on the telephone link, and redirects the call to a local point-of-presence, which is preferably located near the local exchange carrier. The POP receives information related to the desired fax transmission from the faxjack, and accesses a destination POP via the digital network. The destination POP is local with respect to the destination fax machine, and the destination POP attempts to contact the destination fax machine to ascertain if a fax session is allowable. If so, the destination POP notifies the source POP, which then notifies the faxjack, thereby allowing the fax session to start. The source POP packetizes the analog fax data received from the sending fax machine, and sends the fax data as packets over the digital network to the destination POP. The destination POP unpacketizes the data, and sends the fax data using a standard protocol and a standard local telephone link to the destination fax machine.

Claims

1. A facsimile communications apparatus for sending facsimile data in packet format from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, said sending and receiving fax machines respectively connected with first and second local exchange carriers (LECs) over respective first and second telephone links, comprising:

a first data communications apparatus connected to the sending fax machine through the first LEC, the first data communications apparatus including,

first input means connected to the respective first LEC and configured to receive a request for sending fax information to the receiving fax machine over a digital data link;

first processing means, connected to the first input means and configured to determine if the request can be performed over the digital data link, for sending a signal to initiate the sending of fax information over the digital data link if the request can be performed over the digital data link, the first processing means further configured to packetize the fax information into one or more packets; and

first output means connected to the first input means, the first processing means and the digital data link, and configured to send the packetized fax information over the digital data link; and

a second data communications apparatus connected to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC, the second data communications apparatus including,

second input means connected to the digital data link and configured to receive the packetized fax information over the digital data link;

second processing means connected to the second input means and configured to determine if the second data communications apparatus and the receiving fax machine are currently capable of receiving the fax information; and

second output means connected to the second input means, the second processing means and the second LEC, and configured to convert the packetized fax information to a non-packetized format and to send the fax information in the non-packetized format to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC,

wherein a communications path is established and maintained for the fax transmission via the first and second LECs, the first and second data communications apparatuses, the digital data link and the receiving fax machine.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital data link is an asynchronous transfer mode link.

3. A facsimile communications apparatus for sending facsimile data in packet format from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, said sending and receiving fax machines respectively connected with first and second local exchange carriers (LECs) over respective first and second telephone links, comprising:

a first data communications apparatus connected to the sending fax machine through the first LEC, the first data communications apparatus including,

first input means connected to the respective first LEC and configured to receive a request for sending fax information to the receiving fax machine over a digital data link;

first processing means, connected to the first input means and configured to determine if the request can be performed over the digital data link, for sending a signal to initiate the sending of fax information over the digital data link if the request can be performed over the digital data link, the first processing means further configured to packetize the fax information into one or more packets; and

first output means connected to the first input means, the first processing means and the digital data link, and configured to send the packetized fax information over the digital data link; and

a second data communications apparatus connected to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC, the second data communications apparatus including,

second input means connected to the digital data link and configured to receive the packetized fax information over the digital data link;

second processing means connected to the second input means and configured to determine if the second data communications apparatus and the receiving fax machine are currently capable of receiving the fax information; and

second output means connected to the second input means, the second processing means and the second LEC, and configured to convert the packetized fax information to a non-packetized format and to send the fax information in the non-packetized format to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC,

wherein the digital data link is a frame relay link.

4. A facsimile communications apparatus for sending facsimile data in packet format from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, said sending and receiving fax machines respectively connected with first and second local exchange carriers LECs) over respective first and second telephone links, comprising:

a first data communications apparatus connected to the sending fax machine through the first LEC, the first data communications apparatus including,

first input means connected to the respective first LEC and configured to receive a request for sending fax information to the receiving fax machine over a digital data link;

first processing means, connected to the first input means and configured to determine if the request can be performed over the digital data link, for sending a signal to initiate the sending of fax information over the digital data link if the request can be performed over the digital data link, the first processing means further configured to packetize the fax information into one or more packets; and

first output means connected to the first input means, the first processing means and the digital data link, and configured to send the packetized fax information over the digital data link; and

a second data communications apparatus connected to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC, the second data communications apparatus including,

second input means connected to the digital data link and configured to receive the packetized fax information over the digital data link;

second processing means connected to the second input means and confiqured to determine if the second data communications apparatus and the receiving fax machine are currently capable of receiving the fax information; and

second output means connected to the second input means, the second processing means and the second LEC, and configured to convert the packetized fax information to a non-packetized format and to send the fax information in the non-packetized format to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC,

wherein the second input means includes a plurality of modems, said plurality of modems further grouped into distinct groups constituting cells, and

wherein said second processing means includes a plurality of processors each respectively assigned to a corresponding one of said groups, and

wherein when one of the processors of the second processing means receives notification from the second input means that the packetized fax information is received over the digital data line, said one of the processors determines if the corresponding group is capable of communicating the fax information to the receiving fax machine, and based on the determination, said one of the processors either assigns transmission of the fax information to the corresponding group or to another of the groups.

5. An apparatus for facilitating the sending of fax information from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine in a plurality of data packets over a digital data link, comprising:

a modem connected to a local exchange carrier that connects the apparatus to the sending fax machine, the modem configured to receive a request for sending fax information over the digital data link;

a processor connected to the modem and configured to determine if the digital data link and the receiving fax machine are capable of receiving and processing the fax information, the processor determining if an end-to-end fax transmission can be setup and sustained for the sending of the fax information from the sending fax machine to the receiving fax machine; and

a memory configured to store information, said information including,

a bandwidth vector containing information on communication resources available for the sending of the fax transmission over the digital data link;

a fax capabilities database containing information on communications characteristics of the sending and receiving fax machines; and

an allocator database containing translation information for translating a telephone number of the receiving fax machine contained in the request to a network identifier which is used to obtain address information of the receiving fax machine,

wherein the network identifier corresponds to an address of a device where the address information of the receiving fax machine is stored, the address information being sent from the device to the apparatus over the digital data link, and

wherein the address information is placed on each of the data packets sent over the digital data link by the apparatus.

6. An apparatus for sending fax information from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, the fax information being sent as a plurality of packets over the digital data link, the apparatus comprising:

a modem connected to a local exchange carrier that connects the apparatus to the sending fax machine, the modem configured to receive a request for sending fax information over the digital data link from the sending fax machine;

a processor connected to the modem and configured to determine if the digital data link and the receiving fax machine are capable of receiving the fax information; and

a memory configured to store information, said information including,

a fax capabilities database containing information on communications characteristics of the sending and receiving fax machines;

an allocator database containing translation information for translating a telephone number of the receiving fax machine contained in the request to a network identifier to be incorporated in each of the packets sent over the digital data link; and

said fax capabilities database further including a spoofing data which contains information on control signals to be sent between the sending and receiving fax machines during a facsimile data transmission,

wherein when a digital fax transmission is set up by the apparatus, the sending fax machine sends an initialization signal to the receiving fax machine, and wherein if an acknowledgement signal is not received from the receiving fax machine within a predetermined period after the sending fax machine had sent the initialization signal, the apparatus refers to the spoofing database to send a spoofing acknowledgement signal to the sending fax machine to maintain the digital fax transmission in an operable state.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the digital data link is a frame relay link.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the digital data link is an asynchronous transfer mode link.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fax capabilities database contains information on a T1 time associated with the sending fax machine, and wherein if the acknowledgement signal has not been received over the digital data link within a predetermined time before the T1 time has elapsed, the apparatus sends the spoofing acknowledgement signal to the sending fax machine before the T1 time has elapsed.

10. An apparatus for sending fax information from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, comprising:

means for receiving a request for fax transmission over the digital data link;

means for determining if the request can be sent through the digital data link;

means for setting up the fax transmission over the digital data link if the determining means determines that a) the fax transmission can be sent over the digital data link and b) the receiving fax machine is capable of receiving the fax transmission; and

means for informing the sending fax machine to try an alternate transmission path for sending the fax transmission if the determining means determines that the fax transmission cannot be sent over the digital data link,

wherein the sending fax machine issues an off-hook condition to initiate the request for fax transmission, and wherein the off-hook condition is maintained even when the alternate transmission path is utilized instead of the digital data link.

11. An apparatus for sending fax data from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, the sending and receiving fax machines being respectively connected to first and second local exchange carriers, the apparatus comprising:

a first point of presence coupled to the first local exchange carrier and the digital data link, the first point of presence configured to receive a request for sending fax data from a sending fax machine to determine if there is an available digital data link to forward the request, said first point of presence forwarding the request over the digital data link; and

a second point of presence coupled to the second local exchange carrier and the digital data link, the second point of presence configured to receive the request over the digital data link and to contact the receiving fax machine over the second local exchange carrier to determine if the receiving fax machine will accept the request,

wherein when the receiving fax machine accepts the request, the second point of presence sends an acceptance message over the digital data link to the first point of presence, and wherein the first point of presence sends a message to the sending fax machine to commence fax transmission.

12. Apparatus for sending fax data from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, the sending and receiving fax machines being respectively connected to first and second local exchange carriers, the apparatus comprising:

a first point of presence coupled to the first local exchange carrier and the digital data link, the first point of presence configured to receive a request for sending fax data from a sending fax machine to determine if there is an available digital data link to forward the request, said first point of presence forwarding the request over the digital data link; and

a second point of presence coupled to the second local exchange carrier and the digital data link, the second point of presence configured to receive the request over the digital data link and to contact the receiving fax machine over the second local exchange carrier to determine if the receiving fax machine will accept the request,

wherein the digital data link is part of a frame relay network.

13. A method of sending a fax transmission from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data network, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, at a first device, a request from a sending fax machine to send the fax transmission over the digital data network, the request being received by the first device over a first local telephone link connecting the first device with the sending fax machine;

b) determining if there exists resources capable of handling the request, the determination being made by contacting a second device through the digital data network, the second device being connected to a third device, the third device being further connected to the receiving fax machine over a second local telephone link;

c) if the request can be handled over the digital data network, sending an acknowledgement message from the third device to the second device via a local area network, the acknowledgement message being forwarded from the second device to the first device via the digital data network, and the acknowledgement message being further forwarded from the first device to the sending fax machine via the first local telephone link; and

d) if the request cannot be handled over the digital data network, informing the sending fax machine to use a backup communications network to handle the fax transmission,

wherein a determination of whether the request can or cannot be handled over the digital data network is made based on one of a time the request from the sending fax machine is generated, a current bandwidth utilization of the digital data network, and a priority level assigned to the sending fax machine.

14. A method of sending a fax transmission from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data network, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, at a first device, a request from a sending fax machine to send the fax transmission over the digital data network, the request being received by the first device over a first local telephone link connecting the first device with the sending fax machine

b) determining if there exists resources capable of handling the request, the determination being made by contacting a second device through the digital data network, the second device being connected to a third device, the third device being further connected to the receiving fax machine over a second local telephone link;

c) if the request can be handled over the digital data network, sending an acknowledgement message from the third device to the second device via a local area network, the acknowledgement message being forwarded from the second device to the first device via the digital data network, and the acknowledgement message being further forwarded from the first device to the sending fax machine via the first local telephone link; and

d) if the request cannot be handled over the digital data network, informing the sending fax machine to use a backup communications network to handle the fax transmission,

wherein the sending fax machine maintains an off-hook state continuously throughout the steps a) through d).

15. A facsimile communications apparatus for sending facsimile data in packet format from a sending fax machine to a receiving fax machine over a digital data link, said sending and receiving fax machines respectively connected with first and second local exchange carriers (LECs) over respective first and second telephone links, comprising:

a first data communications apparatus connected to the sending fax machine through the first LEC, the first data communications apparatus including,

first input means connected to the respective first LEC and configured to receive a request for sending fax information to the receiving fax machine over a digital data link;

first processing means, connected to the first input means and configured to determine if the request can be performed over the digital data link, for sending a signal to initiate the sending of fax information over the digital data link if the request can be performed over the digital data link, the first processing means further configured to packetize the fax information into one or more packets; and

first output means connected to the first input means, the first processing means and the digital data link, and configured to send the packetized fax information over the digital data link; and

a second data communications apparatus connected to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC, the second data communications apparatus including,

second input means connected to the digital data link and configured to receive the packetized fax information over the digital data link;

second processing means connected to the second input means and configured to determine if the second data communications apparatus and the receiving fax machine are currently capable of receiving the fax information; and

second output means connected to the second input means, the second processing means and the second LEC, and configured to convert the packetized fax information to a non-packetized format and to send the fax information in the non-packetized format to the receiving fax machine through the respective second LEC,

wherein the fax information is sent between the sending fax machine and the receiving fax machine while both the sending fax machine and the receiving fax machine are in communications with each other.