Facsimile apparatus and method for use with customer switching system
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorsSanford S. Brown, Mark A. Crandall, Harvey S. Schultz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A facsimile (fax) machine is arranged to automatically answer a call and to transmit a fax message if a document or stored message is awaiting transmission, otherwise the fax machine goes into a fax receive mode. In another arrangement, the fax machine is connected to a station port of a customer switching system such that an existing call at a system station set can be transferred to the fax machine when a fax message is to be transmitted or received as part of that call. In one embodiment a station set and fax machine are packaged together in one housing.
Claims32
A facsimile (fax) apparatus comprising:
- means for answering a call received over a communication channel connected to said fax apparatus;
- means for detecting the presence of a fax message awaiting to be transmitted from said fax apparatus;
- and
- means, responsive to said call and a detected presence of said fax message, for transmitting said fax message over said channel without first sending a digital identification signal (DIS) over said channel.
The fax apparatus 1 wherein said transmitting means transmits said fax message without first receiving a digital transmit command (DTC) signal over said channel.
A communication system comprising
- a control unit for switching a communication connection from a first facility to a second facility in response to a transfer control signal received over said first facility, and for sending an alerting signal over said second facility in response to said transfer control signal;
- a station set connected to said first facility, said station set including means for establishing a connection over said first facility, and
- means for sending said transfer control signal to said control unit to transfer said established communication connection from said first facility to said second facility;
- and
- a fax apparatus (fax) connected to said second facility, said fax apparatus including,
- means, in response to receiving said alerting signal over said second facility from said control unit, for going off-hook and transmitting a fax message over said second facility without first sending a control signal over said second facility.
A method of operating a facsimile (fax) apparatus comprising the steps of:
- answering a call received over a communication channel connected to said fax apparatus;
- detecting the presence of a fax message awaiting to be transmitted from said fax apparatus;
- and
- in response to said call and a detected presence of said fax message, transmitting said fax message over said channel without first sending a digital identification signal (DIS) over said channel.
A method of operating a communication system comprising the steps of
- at a control unit, switching a communication connection from a first facility to a second facility in response to a transfer control signal received over said first facility, and
- sending an alerting signal over said second facility in response to said transfer control signal;
- at a station set connected to said first facility, establishing a connection over said first facility,
- sending said transfer control signal to said control unit to transfer said established communication connection from said first facility to said second facility;
- and
- at a fax apparatus connected to said second facility, going off-hook, in response to receiving said alerting signal over said second facility from said control unit, and transmitting a fax message over said second facility without first sending a control signal over said second facility.
A facsimile (fax) apparatus comprising:
- means for automatically answering a call received over a communication channel connected to said fax apparatus;
- means for detecting the presence of a fax message awaiting to be transmitted from said fax apparatus;
- and
- means, responsive to said call and a detected presence of said fax message, for transmitting said fax message over said channel after first receiving a digital identification signal (DIS) over said channel.
A method of operating a facsimile (fax) apparatus comprising the steps of:
- automatically answering a call received over a communication channel connected to said fax apparatus;
- detecting the presence of a fax message awaiting to be transmitted from said fax apparatus;
- receiving a digital identification signal (DIS) over said channel;
- and
- in response to a detected presence of said fax message, and a received digital identification signal (DIS) over said call, transmitting said fax message over said channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.