Systems and methods for facsimile communication over a cellular radiotelephone communications link

• US 6,055,441 A
• Filed: 04/30/1996
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gilkey, Jerry A., Wieand, Bruce R., Swanstrom, Alan F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US08/641,193
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/557, 455/556, 455/414, 455/412, 455/445, 455/344, 395/200.5, 358/426, 358/350, 358/401, 358/404, 358/435, 358/437, 358/443, 358/444, 358/452, 358/453, 358/462, 358/468, 358/469, 358/487, 379/100.01, 379/100.03, 379/100.05, 379/100.15, 379/100.17
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32368 Functions of a still picture terminal memory associated with transmission
• 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

Abstract

Facsimile data representing facsimile images is communicated between a facsimile application resident on a remote computer and at least one facsimile station operatively connected to a server computer. Facsimile data communicated from the facsimile application and from a cellular radiotelephone communications link connecting the remote computer to the server computer is stored in the remote computer. Facsimile data is communicated between the remote computer and the server computer over the cellular radiotelephone communications link according to a cellular radiotelephone data communications protocol. Facsimile data communicated to the server computer from the remote computer and from the facsimile station is stored in the server computer. An identifier of previously communicated facsimile data may be communicated between the remote computer to the server computer, preferably a cache entry identifier corresponding to facsimile data cached in the remote computer and the server computer. Facsimile data from the facsimile application may be compressed before communication radiotelephone communications link, and facsimile data communicated over the cellular radiotelephone communications link may be decompressed before communication to the facsimile application. According to a "Register to Send" aspect, a facsimile identifier is communicated from the server computer to pre-allocate a facsimile identifier to the remote computer which the remote computer can use to monitor the status of a facsimile transmission.

Claims

1. A method of communicating facsimile images, the method comprising the following steps:

executing a facsimile application on a remote computer to thereby generate facsimile data destined for at least one facsimile station, the facsimile data representing a facsimile image;

storing facsimile data produced by the facsimile application in the remote computer;

communicating stored facsimile data from the remote computer to a server computer over a cellular radiotelephone communications link according to a cellular radiotelephone data communications protocol, wherein the facsimile data is transferred from the facsimile application to the server computer without a facsimile protocol transmission;

storing facsimile data communicated from the remote computer in the server computer; and

communicating facsimile data stored in the server computer to the at least one facsimile station.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of communicating facsimile data stored in the remote computer is preceded by the step of compressing facsimile data produced by the facsimile application to thereby reduce redundant communication of facsimile data over the radiotelephone communications link.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of communicating facsimile data from the remote computer to the server computer is preceded by the step of communicating a facsimile identifier from the server computer to the facsimile application, wherein said step of communicating stored facsimile data from the remote computer to the server computer comprises the step of communicating facsimile data including the previously communicated facsimile identifier to thereby associate the facsimile identifier with a set of facsimile data communicated from the remote computer to the server computer, said method further comprising the steps of:

communicating a facsimile status query from the facsimile application to the server computer, the facsimile status query comprising a query as to the status of the set of facsimile data associated with the facsimile identifier; and

communicating a facsimile communication status from the server computer to the facsimile application, in response to the communicated facsimile status query.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one facsimile station comprises at least one of a facsimile application resident on a second remote computer, a facsimile application resident on the server computer and a standard facsimile machine.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of communicating stored facsimile data from the remote computer to the server computer comprises the step of communicating one of the stored facsimile data or an identifier of the stored facsimile data over the cellular radiotelephone communications link based on whether the stored facsimile data is the same as facsimile data previously communicated between the remote computer and the server computer.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein said step of communicating facsimile data stored in the remote computer is preceded by the step of compressing facsimile data produced by the facsimile application to thereby reduce redundant communication of facsimile data over the radiotelephone communications link.

6. A method according to claims:

wherein said step of communicating stored facsimile data from the remote computer to the server computer is preceded by the step of caching facsimile data previously communicated between the facsimile application and the server computer in the remote computer and in the server computer, said step of caching including the step of associating a cache entry identifier with the cached facsimile data;

wherein said step of communicating an identifier of facsimile data comprises the steps of;

identifying a cache entry identifier such that the associated facsimile data cached in the remote computer corresponds to the facsimile data produced by the facsimile application; and

communicating the identified data cache entry identifier from the remote computer to the server computer; and

wherein said step of storing the communicated facsimile data comprises the step of storing facsimile data cached in the server computer corresponding to the cache entry identifier communicated from the remote computer.

8. A method of communicating facsimile images, the method comprising the steps of:

communicating facsimile data representing a facsimile image from a facsimile station to a server computer;

storing facsimile data communicated from the facsimile station in the server computer;

communicating stored facsimile data from the server computer to a remote computer over a cellular radiotelephone communications link according to a cellular radiotelephone data communications protocol;

storing facsimile data communicated from the server computer in the remote computer; and

communicating facsimile data stored in the remote computer to a facsimile application resident on the remote computer, the facsimile application operative to receive facsimile data representing a facsimile image, wherein the facsimile data is transferred from the server computer to the facsimile application without a facsimile protocol transmission.

9. A method according to claim 8:

wherein said step of communicating stored facsimile data from the server computer to the remote computer is preceded by the step of caching facsimile data previously communicated between the server computer and the facsimile application in said remote computer and said server computer, along with a cache entry identifier associated therewith;

wherein said step of communicating an identifier of facsimile data comprises the steps of;

identifying a cache entry identifier such that the associated facsimile data cached in the server computer corresponds to facsimile data communicated from the facsimile station; and

communicating the identified data cache entry identifier from the server computer to the remote computer; and

wherein said step of storing the facsimile data communicated from the server computer comprises the step of storing facsimile data cached in the remote computer corresponding to the cache entry identifier communicated from the server computer.

10. A method according to claim 8:

wherein said step of communicating the facsimile data stored in the server computer is preceded by the step of compressing facsimile data communicated from the facsimile station to thereby prevent redundant communication of facsimile data over the radiotelephone communications link; and

wherein said step of communicating facsimile data stored in the remote computer to the facsimile application is preceded by the step of decompressing facsimile data communicated from the server computer.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein the facsimile station comprises at least one of a facsimile application resident on a second remote computer, a facsimile application resident on the server computer, and a standard facsimile machine.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein said step of communicating stored facsimile data from the server computer to the remote computer comprises the step of communicating one of the stored facsimile data or an identifier of the stored facsimile data over the cellular radiotelephone communications link based on the determination of whether the stored facsimile data is the same as facsimile data previously communicated between the remote computer and the server computer.

13. A method according to claim 12:

wherein said step of communicating the facsimile data stored in the server computer is preceded by the step of compressing facsimile data communicated from the facsimile station to thereby prevent redundant communication of facsimile data over the radiotelephone communications link; and

wherein said step of communicating facsimile data stored in the remote computer to the facsimile application is preceded by the step of decompressing facsimile data communicated from the server computer.

14. A remote computer for communicating facsimile images, the remote computer comprising:

a facsimile application resident on the remote computer, said facsimile application being operative to execute on the remote computer to produce facsimile data representing a facsimile image;

cellular radiotelephone data communicating means for communicating facsimile data between the remote computer and a server computer over a cellular radiotelephone communications link according to a cellular radiotelephone data communications protocol, such that facsimile data is transferred between the facsimile application and the server computer without a facsimile protocol transmission; and

client facsimile data storing means, responsive to said facsimile application and to said cellular radiotelephone communicating means, for storing facsimile data on the remote computer.

15. A remote computer according to claim 14 wherein said cellular radiotelephone data communicating means further comprises:

client facsimile data compressing means for compressing facsimile data produced by the facsimile application; and

client facsimile decompressing means for decompressing facsimile data communicated from the server computer.

16. A remote computer according to claim 14 comprising means for communicating a facsimile identifier from the server computer to the facsimile application, wherein said cellular radiotelephone communicating means comprises means for communicating facsimile data including the previously communicated facsimile identifier to thereby associate the previously communicated facsimile identifier with a set of facsimile data communicated from the remote computer to the server computer, and further comprising:

means for communicating a facsimile status query from the facsimile application to the server computer, the facsimile status query comprising a query as to the status of the set of facsimile data associated with a facsimile identifier; and

means, responsive to said means for communicating a facsimile status query, for communicating a facsimile communication status from the server computer to the facsimile application.

17. A remote computer according to claim 14 wherein said cellular radiotelephone data communicating means comprises means for communicating an identifier of the facsimile data instead of the facsimile data over the cellular radiotelephone communications link if the facsimile data is the same as facsimile data previously communicated between the remote computer and the server computer and for communicating the facsimile data over the cellular radiotelephone communications link if the facsimile data is different from the facsimile data previously communicated between the remote computer and the server computer.

18. A remote computer according to claim 17 wherein said cellular radiotelephone data communicating means further comprises:

client facsimile data compressing means for compressing facsimile data produced by the facsimile application; and

client facsimile decompressing means for decompressing facsimile data communicated from the server computer.

19. A remote computer according to claim 14 wherein said means for communicating an identifier of facsimile data comprises remote computer data caching means for caching facsimile data communicated between the remote computer and said server computer in the remote computer, said remote computer data caching means including means for associating a cache entry identifier with cached facsimile data.

20. A remote computer according to claim 19:

wherein said means for communicating an identifier of facsimile data further comprises;

means, responsive to said facsimile application, for identifying a cache entry identifier such that the associated facsimile data cached in the remote computer corresponds to facsimile data produced by the facsimile application; and

means, responsive to said means for identifying a cache entry identifier, for communicating the identified cache entry identifier from the remote computer to the server computer over the radiotelephone communications link.

21. A remote computer according to claim 19:

wherein said means for communicating an identifier of facsimile data further comprises;

means for communicating a cache entry identifier from the server computer to the remote computer over the radiotelephone communications link; and

means, responsive to said means for communicating the cache entry identifier, for identifying facsimile data cached in the remote computer corresponding to the communicated cache entry identifier; and

wherein said client facsimile data storage means comprises means, responsive to said means for identifying facsimile data cached in the server computer, for storing the facsimile data corresponding to the communicated cache entry identifier in the remote computer.

22. A server computer for communicating facsimile images between a facsimile application resident on a remote computer and at least one facsimile station, the facsimile application sending and receiving facsimile data according to a standard facsimile protocol, the server computer comprising:

cellular radiotelephone data communicating means for communicating facsimile data between the remote computer and the server computer over a cellular radiotelephone communications link according to a cellular radiotelephone data communications protocol, wherein said cellular radiotelephone data communicating means comprises means for communicating an identifier of the facsimile data instead of the facsimile data over the cellular radiotelephone communications link if the facsimile data is the same as facsimile data previously communicated between the remote computer and the server computer and for communicating the facsimile data over the cellular radiotelephone link if the facsimile data is different from the facsimile data previously communicated between the remote computer and the server computer;

facsimile data communicating means for communicating facsimile data between the server computer and the at least one facsimile station; and

server facsimile data storage means, responsive to said facsimile data communicating means and to said cellular radiotelephone data communicating means, for storing facsimile data on the server computer.

23. A server computer according to claim 22 wherein the at least one facsimile station includes at least one of a facsimile application resident on a second remote computer, a facsimile application resident on the server computer and a standard facsimile machine.

24. A server computer according to claim 22 comprising means for communicating a facsimile identifier from the server computer to the facsimile application, wherein said cellular radiotelephone communicating means comprises means communicating facsimile data including the previously communicated facsimile identifier to thereby associate the previously communicated facsimile identifier with a set of facsimile data communicated from the remote computer to the server computer, and further comprising:

means for communicating a facsimile status query from the remote computer to the server computer, the facsimile status query comprising a query as to the status of the set of facsimile data associated with the facsimile identifier; and

means, responsive to said means for communicating a facsimile status query, for communicating a facsimile communication status from the server computer to the remote computer, in response to a communicated facsimile status query.

25. A server computer according to claim 22 wherein said means for communicating an identifier of facsimile data comprises server computer data caching means for caching facsimile data communicated between the facsimile application and the server computer in the server computer, said server computer data caching means including means for associating a cache entry identifier with the cached facsimile data.

26. A server computer according to claim 25:

wherein said means for communicating an identifier of facsimile data further comprises;

means for communicating a cache entry identifier from the remote computer to the server computer over the radiotelephone communications link; and

means, responsive to said means for communicating the cache entry identifier, for identifying facsimile data cached in the server computer corresponding to the communicated cache entry identifier; and

wherein said server facsimile data storage means comprises means, responsive to said means for identifying facsimile data cached in the server computer, for storing the identified cached facsimile data in the server computer.

27. A server computer according to claim 25:

wherein said means for communicating an identifier of facsimile data further comprises;

means, responsive to said server facsimile data storage means, for identifying a cache entry identifier such that the associated facsimile data cached in the server computer corresponds to facsimile data to be communicated to the remote computer; and

means for communicating the identified cache entry identifier from the server computer to the remote computer over the radiotelephone communications link.