Dynamic facsimile transcoding in a unified messaging platform

• US 8,711,857 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, James, Yasrebi, Mehrad
• Primary Examiner(s): O CONNOR, BRIAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/286,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20100079784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/395.2, 370/466, 370/392, 379/93.09, 709/231, 709/227
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32702 using digital control signals H04N1/32704, H04N1/32614, H04N1/32771 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32765 Initiating a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32789 Details of handshaking H04N1/32793, H04N1/32795 and H04N1/32797 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33307 prior to start of transmission, input or output of the picture signal only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33346 adapting to a particular standardised protocol
• 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 2201/33342 of transmission mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33371 using test signals, e.g. checking error occurrences

Abstract

Facsimile transcoding is dynamically invoked for devices that do not support T.38 fax protocol. In this way, a unified messaging platform can process facsimiles from endpoints that are not T.38 capable without using without digital signal processor resources. Dynamic fax transcoding can be performed at a session border controller, allowing transcoding resources to be engaged only for non-T.38 endpoints rather than for all calls on an interface.

Claims

1. A method of facsimile transcoding by a border element, the method comprising:

receiving, from a unified messaging platform in response to an error message from a gateway indicating an inability of the gateway to transmit according to a T.38 standard protocol, an invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol and an indication of a transcoding policy comprising direct digital-to-digital conversion from a first codec according to a G.711 standard protocol to a second codec according to the T.38 standard protocol, wherein the indication of the transcoding policy is in a header of a session description protocol of the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol;

determining that the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol contains the indication of the transcoding policy in the header of the session description protocol of the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol;

transmitting to the gateway, in response to the determining and in accordance with the transcoding policy, an invitation to transmit according to a G.711 standard protocol in response to receiving the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol, the invitation to transmit according to the G.711 standard protocol comprising the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol with the indication of the transcoding policy in the header of the session description protocol of the invitation removed and an indication of transmission according to the T.38 standard protocol replaced with an indication of transmission according to the G.711 standard protocol;

receiving information coded according to the G.711 protocol from the gateway;

transcoding, in accordance with the transcoding policy, the information received from the gateway into information coded according to the T.38 standard protocol; and

transmitting the information coded according to the T.38 standard protocol to the unified messaging platform.

2. A method of facsimile message processing at a unified messaging platform, the method comprising:

receiving an error message from a border element via a gateway, the error message indicating that transmission according to a T.38 standard protocol is unsuccessful;

transmitting to the border element, in response to the error message, an invitation to transmit information according to the T.38 standard protocol, and an indication of a transcoding policy comprising a digital-to-digital conversion from a first codec according to a G.711 standard protocol to a second codec according to the T.38 standard protocol, wherein the indication of the transcoding policy is in a header of a session description protocol of the invitation to transmit information according to the T.38 standard protocol, the invitation to transmit information according to the T.38 standard protocol being modified by the border element to;

remove the indication of the transcoding policy in the header of the session description protocol of the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol; and

replace an indication of transmission according to the T.38 standard protocol with an indication of transmission according to the G.711 standard protocol;

and

receiving information according to the T.38 standard protocol from the border element, the information transcoded by the border element in accordance with the transcoding policy.

3. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a unified messaging platform in response to an error message from a gateway indicating an inability of the gateway to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol, an invitation to transmit according to a T.38 standard protocol and an indication of a transcoding policy comprising direct digital-to-digital conversion from a first codec according to a G.711 standard protocol to a second codec according to the T.38 standard protocol, wherein the indication of the transcoding policy is in a header of a session description protocol of the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol;

determining that the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol contains the indication of the transcoding policy in the header of the session description protocol of the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol;

transmitting to the gateway, in response to the determining and in accordance with the transcoding policy, an invitation to transmit according to a G.711 standard protocol in response to receiving the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol, the invitation to transmit according to the G.711 standard protocol comprising the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol with the indication of the transcoding policy in the header of the session description protocol of the invitation removed and an indication of transmission according to the T.38 standard protocol replaced with an indication of transmission according to the G.711 standard protocol;

receiving information coded according to the G.711 protocol from the gateway;

transcoding, in accordance with the transcoding policy, the information received from the gateway into information coded according to the T.38 standard protocol; and

transmitting the information coded according to the T.38 standard protocol to the unified messaging platform.

4. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving an error message from a border element via a gateway, the error message indicating that transmission according to a T.38 standard protocol is unsuccessful;

transmitting to the border element, in response to the error message, an invitation to transmit information according to the T.38 standard protocol, and an indication of a transcoding policy comprising a digital-to-digital conversion conversion from a first codec according to a G.711 standard protocol to a second codec according to the T.38 standard protocol, wherein the indication of the transcoding policy is in a header of a session description protocol of the invitation to transmit information according to the T.38 standard protocol, the invitation to transmit information according to the T.38 standard protocol being modified by the border element to;

remove the indication of the transcoding policy in the header of the session description protocol of the invitation to transmit according to the T.38 standard protocol; and

replace an indication of transmission according to the T.38 standard protocol with an indication of transmission according to the G.711 standard protocol;

and

receiving information according to the T.38 standard protocol from the border element, the information transcoded by the border element in accordance with the transcoding policy.