Method and telecommunication system for transmitting a facsimile message

• US 5,974,122 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.), SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meek, Jeffery J., Stevens, Thomas F., Yuschik, Matthew J., Nelson, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US08/787,347
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88-89, 379/100.01, 379/100.05-100.09, 379/100.12, 379/100.14-100.15, 379/201, 379/210, 379/211, 379/230, 379/220 , 379/93.14, 379/93.24, 358/407, 358/440, 358/442, 358/444, 358/468, 358/402, 358/403, 358/400
• US Class Current: 379/100.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32765 Initiating a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting a facsimile message uses a public-switched telecommunications network, the public-switched telecommunication network having a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages. The initiation of a telephone call to a destination is detected, the content of the call including the facsimile message. If the destination is available at a first time to receive a telephone call, the facsimile message is transmitted. The facsimile message is stored on the messaging platform only if the destination is unavailable at the first time. If the facsimile message was stored, the facsimile message is transmitted at a second time if the destination if the destination is available.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a facsimile message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunication network having a plurality of service switching points including an originating service switching point and a destination service switching point, and at least one service control point, and a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an initiation of a telephone call on the telecommunications network to the destination, by detecting an off-hook delay trigger assigned to the line of the originating party;

suspending the telephone call and launching a information message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the off-hook delay trigger is detected;

determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time using the at least one service control point;

launching a transmit message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to transmit the facsimile message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the first time;

launching a routing message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call to the messaging platform only if the destination condition was "busy" or "no-answer" at the first time; and

if the facsimile message was routed to the messaging platform,

(i) storing the routed facsimile message on the messaging platform;

(ii) determining a destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time; and

(iii) transmitting the facsimile message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing message contains a telephone number corresponding to the message platform, to which the facsimile message is to be routed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of launching a routing message includes determining the telephone number corresponding to the message platform using a lookup-table that is indexed by a telephone number corresponding to the calling party.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a close call message from a destination service switching point to the at least one service control point if the call is completed.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending a close call message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the telephone call is abandoned prior to receiving a routing message from the at least one service control point.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step determining that the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the facsimile message.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of aborting the telephone call if the destination is not a valid destination for receiving a facsimile.

8. A telecommunication system for transmitting a facsimile message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunication network, the system comprising:

an originating service switching point for detecting an initiation of a telephone call on the telecommunications network to the destination, by detecting an off-hook delay trigger assigned to the line of the originating party and for suspending the telephone call and launching a information message if the off-hook delay trigger is detected;

a destination service switching point in communication with the destination;

a signaling transfer point, coupled to the originating service switching point and the destination service switching point, for transferring messages to and from the originating service switching point and the destination service switching point;

a service control point, in communication with the signaling transfer point, for receiving the information message from the originating service switching point, for determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time for launching a transmit message to the originating service switching point to transmit the facsimile message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the first time, and for launching a routing message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call only if the destination condition was "busy" or "no-answer" at the first time; and

a messaging platform, in communication with the originating service switching point and capable of storing a plurality of facsimile messages, for receiving and storing the routed facsimile message;

wherein, if the facsimile message was routed to the messaging platform, the messaging platform determines a destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time; and

the messaging platform transmits the facsimile message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the routing message contains a telephone number corresponding to the message platform, to which the facsimile message is to be routed.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the service control point determines the telephone number corresponding to the message platform using a lookup-table that is indexed by a telephone number corresponding to the calling party.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the destination service switching point sends a close call message from a destination service switching point to the service control point if the call is completed.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the originating service switching point is capable of sending a close call message to the service control point if the telephone call is abandoned prior to receiving a routing message from the at least one service control point.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the service control point is capable of determining that the destination is not a valid destination for receiving the facsimile message.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the service control point aborts the telephone call if the destination is not a valid destination for receiving a facsimile.

15. A method of transmitting a facsimile message using a public-switched telecommunications network, the public-switched telecommunications network having a messaging platform operative, store a plurality of facsimile messages, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an initiation of a telephone call on the telecommunications network from a calling party to a destination, the content of the call including the facsimile message;

determining if the destination is available at a first time to receive a telephone call, said determining being made with switching components of the public-switched telecommunications network associated with the calling party;

transmitting the facsimile message to the destination if the destination is available at the first time;

storing the facsimile message on the messaging platform only if the destination is unavailable at the first time; and

if the facsimile message was stored,

(i) determining that the destination is available at a second time, the second time later than the first time; and

(ii) transmitting the facsimile message to the destination if the destination is available at the second time.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

if the destination is unavailable at the first time, camping-on the destination to wait for the destination to become available.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of transmitting the facsimile message to the destination if the destination is available at the second time, includes initiating a new telephone call to the destination.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the destination has a corresponding telephone number and the step of initiating a telephone call includes initiating the telephone call to the telephone number of the destination.

19. A method of transmitting a data message from a line of an originating party to a destination using an advanced intelligent telecommunication network having a plurality of service switching points including an originating service switching point and a destination service switching point, and at least one service control point, and a messaging platform capable of storing a plurality of data messages, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an initiation of a telephone call on the telecommunications network to the destination, by detecting an off-hook delay trigger assigned to the line of the originating party;

suspending the telephone call and launching a information message from the originating service switching point to the at least one service control point if the off-hook delay trigger is detected;

determining a destination condition for the destination at a first time using the at least one service control point;

launching a transmit message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to transmit the data message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the first time;

launching a routing data message from the at least one service control point to the originating service switching point to route the telephone call to the messaging platform only if the destination condition was "busy" or "no-answer" at the first time; and

if the data message was routed to the messaging platform,

(i) storing the routed data message on the messaging platform;

(ii) determining a destination condition at a second time, the second time later than the first time; and

(iii) transmitting the data message to the destination if the destination condition was "answer" at the second time.