Facsimile communication devices, communication systems and facsimile communication methods

• US 6,535,303 B1
• Filed: 05/04/1999
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolf, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US09/304,525
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 358/434, 358/400, 358/464, 375/222
• US Class Current: 358/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32765 Initiating a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32789 Details of handshaking H04N1/32793, H04N1/32795 and H04N1/32797 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0024 Converting image communication control signals, e.g. group 3 facsimile protocol signals, to non-image communication control signals or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides facsimile communication devices, communication systems and facsimile communication methods. According to one aspect of the present invention, a facsimile communication device comprises: a first input configured to receive a nonfacsimile destination designator; a second input configured to receive data to be communicated to the nonfacsimile destination designator; a processor configured to provide the nonfacsimile destination designator within a facsimile protocol file; and a facsimile modem coupled with the second input and adapted to communicate, using facsimile protocol communications, the data and the facsimile protocol file.

Claims

1. A facsimile communication device comprising:

a first input configured to receive a nonfacsimile destination designator;

a second input configured to receive data to be communicated to an address identified by the nonfacsimile destination designator;

a processor configured to provide the nonfacsimile destination designator within a facsimile protocol file; and

a facsimile modem coupled with the second input and adapted to communicate, using facsimile protocol communications, the data and the facsimile protocol file.

2. The facsimile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the facsimile modem is configured to communicate the data and the facsimile protocol file in accordance with a T.30 ITU-T standard.

3. The facsimile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the facsimile modem is configured to communicate the facsimile protocol file and the data during plural respective phase C communications of the T.30 ITU-T standard during a single call connection.

4. The facsimile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to provide the nonfacsimile destination designator within the facsimile protocol file comprising a BFT file.

5. The facsimile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first input is configured to receive a facsimile destination designator and the processor is configured to provide the facsimile destination designator in the facsimile protocol file.

6. The facsimile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first input is configured to receive plural destination designators and the processor is configured to provide the received plural destination designators within the facsimile protocol file.

7. A communication system comprising:

a facsimile device including a facsimile modem and the facsimile device being configured to receive a nonfacsimile destination designator and data to be communicated to an address identified by the nonfacsimile destination designator, the facsimile device being further configured to provide the nonfacsimile destination designator into a facsimile protocol file and to communicate, using facsimile protocol communications, the data and the facsimile protocol file to a communication network using the facsimile modem; and

a communication network adapted to direct the data to the address identified by the nonfacsimile destination designator.

8. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein communication network is configured to communicate the data using internet protocol communications.

9. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein the communication network includes at least one of an email server and a postal mail preprocess and transport server individually configured to communicate the data responsive to the nonfacsimile destination designator.

10. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein the facsimile device is further configured to receive and provide a facsimile destination designator into the facsimile protocol file and the communication network further includes a facsimile server configured to direct the data to an address identified by the facsimile destination designator.

11. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein the communication network is adapted to couple with a nonfacsimile communication system and to communicate the data to the nonfacsimile communication system responsive to the nonfacsimile destination designator.

12. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein the facsimile device is configured to communicate the data and the facsimile protocol file in accordance with a T.30 ITU-T standard.

13. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein the facsimile device is configured to provide the nonfacsimile destination designator within the facsimile protocol file comprising a BFT file.

14. The communication system according to claim 7 wherein the facsimile device is configured to communicate the data and the facsimile protocol file including the nonfacsimile destination designator to the communication network in a single call connection.

15. A facsimile communication method comprising:

providing a facsimile communication device including a facsimile modem;

receiving a nonfacsimile destination designator within the facsimile communication device;

receiving data to be communicated to an address identified by the nonfacsimile destination designator within the facsimile communication device;

providing the nonfacsimile destination designator within a facsimile protocol file; and

communicating, using facsimile protocol communications, the data and the facsimile protocol file using the facsimile modem.

16. The facsimile communication method according to claim 15 wherein the communicating comprises communicating the data and the facsimile protocol file in accordance with a T.30 ITU-T standard.

17. The facsimile communication method according to claim 15 wherein the providing the nonfacsimile destination designator includes providing the nonfacsimile destination designator within a BFT file.

18. The facsimile communication method according to claim 15 wherein the receiving comprises receiving plural destination designators, and further comprising providing the destination designators within the facsimile protocol file.

19. The facsimile communication method according to claim 15 further comprising:

receiving a facsimile destination designator; and

providing the facsimile destination designator within the facsimile protocol file.

20. The facsimile communication method according to claim 15 wherein the communicating comprises communicating during a single call connection.