Method and apparatus for sending and receiving facsimile transmissions over a non-telephonic transmission system

An interface is provided for connecting a standard telephone line and/or a standard facsimile machine with a distributive communication network interface such as a personal computer, whereby facsimile signal present on the telephone line or at the facsimile machine may be transmitted via the Internet to a remote station without the use of long distance or international telephone signal carriers. The facsimile signal may be sent or received via the network using the network, without interfering with the capability to receive and send facsimile signals in the normal manner via a standard telephone line.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The subject invention is generally related to facsimile transmission of documents, commonly known as fax systems, and is specifically directed to a fax system for sending documents and printed materials via distributive communication networks such as, by way of example, the Internet.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Facsimile transmission of documents and printed matter is well known. In a typical application, the document is fed through a transmission machine, where the printed or graphic material on the hard document is converted into a digital signal. This signal is then transmitted in real time over a telephone line to a compatible receiving machine where it is decoded and a facsimile document is reproduced.

Over the years, numerous changes have been made in this basic concept to improve both the quality and the efficiency of the transmission. Most receiving units still record and encode the information on a line-by-line feed. Others store the entire document code prior to initiating transmission and store the entire received document prior to reproduction. Still other systems utilize memory capacity to permit storage of the documents during normal business hours for transmission during off hours. Large volume users have incorporated comprehensive data compression and reduction schemes in order to reduce the amount of data required to be transmitted.

All of these various improvements have been made to reduce the amount of on-line time per transmission. Since transmission is almost always via public telephone lines, both congestion and expense are issues. This is particularly true when transmitting documents over domestic long distance lines or international telephone systems. Enormous savings could be achieved by a facsimile transmission system which is not dependent upon long distance and international public telephone lines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention is directed to a facsimile transmission system which does not require the use of long distance or international telephone systems in order to transmit documents over long distances. Instead the “fax” system of the present invention utilizes the Internet, permitting fax transmission via local telephone service and Internet communication, or, in the alternative, directly over a network system without use of public access communication lines such as telephonic systems.

In the preferred embodiment, the fax system is also fully compatible with prior art systems and can send and receive documents via telephone lines as well as via other distributive communication networks such as, by way of example, the Internet. One significant advantage of the system of the subject invention is the ability to incorporate printed documents and graphic material, as well as computer generated documents and graphic material, into the fax system.

While the most significant advantage of the network fax system of the subject invention is the elimination of the use of costly public telephone carriers, the overall versatility of the system provides additional advantages over the prior art. For example, documents faxed into the system via prior art telephonic systems can be readily re-transmitted over the Internet. Likewise, documents transmitted over the Internet in the well known manner, e.g., E-mail, can be converted and retransmitted via prior art telephonic fax systems.

In addition, the network fax system of the subject invention can serve as an economical scanner, converting hard documents and graphic material into machine readable digital code which can then be transmitted directly into a computer based system for reformatting in a word processing system and the like. Likewise, the information in the computer system can be decoded and printed at the fax machine.

The versatility provided by the method and apparatus of the subject invention permits a common fax machine to become a printer and a scanner, as well as an interface to the distributive networks. This permits stations not on the network to communicate with the network via facsimile document transmission and permits the network users to communicate with the remote station.

All of this can be accomplished utilizing standard local telephone hookup between a user station and the network, permitting worldwide communication via a network such as the Internet without the use of long distance and international telephonic carriers.

The heart of the system of the subject invention is an interface positioned intermediately of a standard telephone line, a fax machine, and a computer. The interface is software supported at the computer and is adapted to route the signals therethrough to the computer for storage or for transmission via a selected network, or over a standard telephonic line, both to and from a standard fax machine.

In the preferred embodiment, the interface is inserted between the fax machine, the P.C., and the standard telephone line. The system is also adapted for use with other communication links and devices such as by way of example, ethernet, the world wide web and the like. The interface is also connected directly to a computer base such as a typical personal computer system, which permits communications between the network, the fax machine and the standard telephone system.

All of the software support for the system is loaded into the standard computer base. The interface permits the fax signal on the line between the public telephone system and the fax machine to be diverted to the computer where it is converted by the software into an acceptable Internet format. Signals from the Internet are converted into an acceptable fax format whereby they can be received by the local fax machine or transmitted over the standard telephone line to a remote fax system.

It is, therefore, an object and feature of the subject invention to provide a facsimile transmission system for permitting long distance fax transmission without the use of long distance or international telephone service.

It is a further object and feature of the subject invention to provide a facsimile transmission system that permits “faxed” documents to be transmitted and received via distributive data communication networks.

It is an additional object and feature of the subject invention to provide a facsimile transmission system which permits conversion of documents from any source into a computer into a standard facsimile format for transmission and reception via a standard facsimile transmission system.

Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown inFIG. 1, the subject invention is utilized in combination with a standard computer based system such as, by way of example, the personal computer10. As is typical, the computer10is connected to a modem19, which may be either internal or external as shown. In a typical application, the modem may be used to connect the computer system to a distributive network such as the Internet, as indicated at14(FIG. 2.) The network may also be wired directly into the computer, as is the case with LAN based systems and the like. The significant point is that the computer is adapted for communicating data over a distributive network system. Also as is typical, the computer system may include any of a plurality of options, desired peripheral hardware components such as, by way of example, the laser printer16(FIG. 2.)

In the preferred embodiment, one of the serial/parallel ports of the computer is connected to the facsimile communication interface18of the subject invention via a dedicated cable20. In the illustrated embodiment, the interface18is connected directly to a standard local service telephone line22and via a dedicated communication line24to a standard, off-the-shelf facsimile machine26. The only additional hardware for the system of the subject invention is the interface18, and the dedicated cable20. A second phone wire24may also be required. The heart of the system is software which is loaded directly into the system via the computer10, in typical fashion, utilizing a floppy disk or a CD ROM.

In order to operate the system of the subject invention, the software is utilized to convert the signal on line20received from the facsimile machine26from a standard facsimile signal such as, by way of example, a Group III signal, to a signal which is recognizable and useable by the computer system. Conversely, data signals output by the computer may be converted to Group III data signals, or the like for reproduction at the facsimile machine.

The data signal on line20may then be adapted for on-line transmission via the a distributive network such as the Internet14or for other computer based manipulation systems such as word processing and the like. The software also converts signals incoming directly to the computer via the Internet, a scanner (not shown), the keyboard28, or other input device into a facsimile compatible signal for transmission over cable20and through the interface switch18to the fax machine26and/or the line22as a fax signal.

FIG. 2is a diagrammatic view showing the switching combinations made possible by the interface of the subject invention. In graphic30FIG. 3A, the fax signal transmitted to/from the computer via cable20is sent/received directly over the telephone line22in communication with a remote facsimile receiver. In graphic32FIG. 3B, the same signal is sent/received by a local facsimile receiver26(FIG. 1) via line24. In graphic34FIG. 3D, the local facsimile machine is in a normal operating mode and communicates directly with a telephone line22.

A more detailed diagram of the interface18is shown inFIG. 4. The telephone line22is in direct communication with a pair of switches40,42, provided in the interface18. When switch40is closed, the telephone line is connected directly to the computer via cable20. When switch42is closed, the telephone line is connected directly to the local facsimile machine via line24. This line is also connected to a “ring” generator44to signal an incoming fax. The ring generator provides am activation signal for initiating the facsimile machine when a standard incoming telephone “ring” signal is not present. The ring generator44communicates directly with the computer via cable20directly with the local facsimile machine26via the interface18. A parallel switch48is also present to selectively initiate the ring generator. Where desired, cable20can also be connected directly to the modem and through a controller50to a switch52and to the ring generator44to signal an incoming fax directly from the network.

As more specifically shown inFIG. 4, the system of the present invention is adapted for converting any of a variety of computer generated data signals to a facsimile format, and vise versa. For example, a data signal received by the computer10from a network source14is output on cable20and introduced directly to a local facsimile machine26via interface18. The ring generator44will activate the facsimile machine by providing a simulated “ring” signal. Conversely, the local facsimile machine26may be used to receive hard copy data and via the interface18and dedicated cable20, introduce the data into the computer10for transmission over a network line14.

The telephone hook-up22shown inFIG. 3Ais used when a remote facsimile machine is communicating either directly with the facsimile machine26in the normal manner, or with the computer10for transmission over the selected distributive network.

The facsimile system of the subject invention is very versatile in that it permits the local fax machine26to selectively transmit inputted and scanned documents to remote fax systems via telephone line22, to the computer for processing via cable20and to remote fax locations via the Internet14. The local facsimile machine becomes an inexpensive scanner source for scanning documents directly into the computer. The system of the subject invention also permits documents received via the Internet (whether originating as facsimile transmissions, E-mail or other) or documents generated at the computer or direct facsimile transmissions via telephone line22to be printed directly at the local facsimile machine26, potentially eliminating the need for a separate printer16.

The facsimile interface and transmission system of the subject invention is an efficient method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving documents via the distributive communication networks such as the Internet as well as via direct computer communication and standard fax transmission, without requiring the use of additional peripheral hardware components. While certain features and embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it will be readily understood that the invention encompasses all modifications and enhancements with the scope and spirit of the following claims.