System for interconnecting standard telephony communications equipment to internet

• US 8,737,386 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bear Creek Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bear Creek Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/301,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20120128142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/001 specially adapted for transmission via digital wireline networks H04N1/00098 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00228 Image push arrangements, e.g. from an image reading device to a specific network destination push-based network services H04L67/55
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• 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 1/32427 Optimising routing, e.g. for minimum cost
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatus includes a communication predelivery receiver, configured to communicate with and relay both IP addressed overhead and IP addressed payload data from an originating communication device. The communication predelivery receiver includes a screener configured to, when the communication predelivery receiver is in communication with the originating communication device, receive certain data including first IP addressed data and second IP addressed data of corresponding first and second initiated communications. The communication predelivery receiver is configured and connected within a network so the first IP addressed data and the second IP addressed data are processed differently. For the first initiated communication, the first payload data is converted, after the point in time at which the screener received the first IP addressed data, from IP addressed first payload data to another network signal. For the second initiated communication, the second payload data is delivered without so converting the second payload data.

Claims

1. A fax delivery apparatus comprising:

an internet receipt mechanism to receive a fax-destined internet communication, the fax-destined internet communication comprising a receiving address further comprising destination identification information;

a fax server determination mechanism to determine whether an outbound fax number is served by a local fax server, the destination identification information being associated with the outbound fax number;

a fax format converter to convert data of the fax-destined internet communication to a fax formatted message;

a dialing device to dial a destination fax device over a telephone line connection; and

a normal fax standard communications device to send the fax formatted message to the destination fax device over the dialed telephone line connection, wherein;

when the fax server determination mechanism determines that the outbound fax number is served by the local fax server, the local fax server is contacted and is configured to directly dial out and send the fax formatted message, and

when the fax server determination mechanism determines that the outbound fax number is not served by the local fax server, the fax server determination mechanism is configured to determine whether a delivery call costs less as intra-lata or as inter-lata, and based on the determination regarding the cost of the delivery call, the fax server determination mechanism is configured to contact a target fax server to dial the destination fax device via a cheaper call selected from a group consisting of an intra-lata delivery call and an inter-lata delivery call and send the fax formatted message.

2. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internet receipt mechanism further comprises an email receipt mechanism to receive an email.

3. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving address-further comprises a standard address field of an email.

4. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving address further comprises a standard address field of the email.

5. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fax format converter is to convert email data of the email to the fax formatted message.

6. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an internet fax server.

7. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the destination identification information comprises a destination proper name and a destination fax machine phone number.

8. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the destination identification information comprises a destination proper name and a destination fax machine phone number.

9. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the internet fax server comprises the internet receipt mechanism.

10. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the internet receipt mechanism further comprises an email receipt mechanism to receive an email.

11. The fax delivery apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the internet fax server comprises the fax format converter.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a fax-destined internet communication, the fax-destined internet communication comprising a receiving address further comprising destination identification information;

determining whether an outbound fax number is served by a local fax server, the destination identification information being associated with the outbound fax number;

converting data of the fax-destined internet communication to a fax formatted message;

dialing, by a dialing device, to a destination fax device over a telephone line connection; and

sending, via a normal fax standard communications device, the fax formatted message to the destination fax device over the dialed telephone line connection, wherein;

when the determining determines that the outbound fax number is served by the local fax server, contacting the local fax server which is configured to directly dial out and send the fax formatted message, and

when the determining determines that the outbound fax number is not served by the local fax server, performing;

determining whether a delivery call costs less as intra-lata or as inter-lata, and

contacting a target fax server to dial the destination fax device and send the fax formatted message, the target fax server being configured to call the destination fax device via a cheaper call selected from a group consisting of an intra-lata delivery call and an inter-lata delivery call.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the receiving a fax-destined internet communication further comprises receiving an email.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the receiving address further comprises a standard address field of the email.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the receiving address further comprises a standard address field of the email.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the converting data of the fax-destined internet communication to a fax formatted message further comprises converting email data of the email to the fax formatted message.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the destination identification information comprises a destination proper name and a destination fax machine phone number.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the receiving a fax-destined internet communication is performed by an internet fax server.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the converting data of the fax-destined internet communication to a fax formatted message is performed by an internet fax server.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the receiving a fax-destined internet communication further comprises receiving an email.