Faxmodem with scanning capability

A method of processing data from a facsimile machine with a modem operating in conjunction with a host computer running facsimile software comprising:

• coupling the modem to an external telephone line via a telephone line interface in the modem;
• coupling the facsimile machine to the modem via a local instrument interface in the modem;
• coupling the host computer to the modem via a computer interface in the modem;
• coupling the external telephone line interface to the local instrument interface such that, as telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine and transmitted over the local instrument interface to the modem, they are forwarded over the telephone line interface to the external telephone line;
• initiating an external telephone call from the facsimile machine, the external telephone call being initiated by the facsimile machine dialing telephone number digits which are transmitted over the local instrument interface to the modem and are forwarded directly over the telephone interface to the external telephone line;
• detecting the telephone number digits dialed by the facsimile machine as the telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine to detect a telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine;
• upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer dialed by the facsimile machine, configuring the modem to process data from the facsimile machine;
• and
• upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger phone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call that was initiated by the facsimile machine to be continued without interruption over the external telephone line.

A document handling system comprising:

• a host computer;
• a facsimile machine for converting documents into digitized data;
• and
• a modem coupled to the host computer, the facsimile machine and an external telephone line such that the host computer and the facsimile machine are coupled to the external telephone line, the modem operating in conjunction with the host computer running facsimile software to process incoming telephone calls, the facsimile machine initiating an external telephone call by dialing telephone number digits and transmitting the telephone number digits to the modem, the modem forwarding the telephone number digits over the external telephone line as they are dialed such that the external telephone call is initiated, the modem detecting the telephone number digits dialed by the facsimile machine to detect a telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine, upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer dialed by the facsimile machine, the modem processing digitized document data from the facsimile machine in conjunction with the host computer running the facsimile software and, upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call that was initiated by the facsimile machine to be continued without interruption over the telephone line.

A modem comprising:

• a telephone line interface for coupling a host computer to an external telephone line;
• a local instrument interface for coupling a facsimile machine to the modem;
• ring detection circuitry for detecting a ring signal from an incoming call on the external telephone line;
• coupling circuitry that couples the telephone line interface to the local instrument interface, the facsimile machine and the modem being connected to the external telephone line in a normal operating mode of the modem such that ring signals of incoming telephone calls are detected by the facsimile machine and the ring detection circuitry, and incoming telephone calls can be processed by either of the facsimile machine and modem and telephone number digits dialed by the facsimile machine and transmitted over the local instrument interface are forwarded directly over the telephone line interface to the external telephone line as the digits are dialed by the facsimile machine such that an external telephone call is initiated by the facsimile machine;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the local instrument interface that detects telephone number digits dialed by the facsimile machine and transmitted over the local instrument interface as the digits are dialed by the facsimile machine and that detects from the digits a telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine to initiate the external telephone call and, upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, that configures the modem to process data from the facsimile machine and, upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, that allows the external telephone call to be continued without interruption over the external telephone line.

A modem comprising:

• a computer interface over which the modem and a host computer can communicate;
• a local instrument interface over which the modem and a local instrument device can communicate;
• a telephone line interface for coupling the modem to an external telephone line such that the modem and remote devices can communicate over the external telephone line via a telephone company central office;
• coupling circuitry that couples the computer interface, the local instrument interface and the telephone line interface, the coupling circuitry, in a normal operating mode of the modem, connecting both the host computer and the local instrument to the external telephone line such that telephone number digits dialed by the local instrument and transmitted over the local, instrument interface are forwarded over the external telephone line interface to the telephone line as the digits are generated by the local instrument such that an external telephone call is initiated by the local instrument;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the interfaces and the coupling circuitry that detects telephone number digits dialed by the local instrument as the digits are dialed by the local instrument and that detects a telephone number dialed by the local instrument to initiate the external telephone call, the processing circuitry, upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer dialed by the local instrument, commanding the coupling circuitry to configure the modem to process data from the local instrument and, upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call to be continued without interruption over the telephone line.

A modem for processing data in conjunction with a host computer running facsimile software comprising:

• a telephone line interface for coupling an external telephone line to the mode;
• a local instrument interface for coupling a facsimile machine to the modem;
• a computer interface for coupling the host computer to the modem;
• coupling circuitry that couples the telephone line interface to the local instrument interface such that, as rotary-dialed telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine and transmitted over the local instrument interface to the modem, they are forwarded directly over the telephone line interface to the external telephone line such that an external telephone call is initiated over the external telephone line as the telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the local instrument interface that receives indications of sensed facsimile current and times them to detect a rotary-dialed telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine, the processing circuitry, upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, configuring the modem such that data from the facsimile machine associated with the rotary-dialed telephone number is transferred over the computer interface such that it can be processed by the host computer running the facsimile software and, upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call that was initiated by the facsimile machine to be continued without interruption over the external telephone line.

A method of processing a message from a facsimile machine with a modem operating in conjunction with a host computer running facsimile software comprising:

• coupling the modem to an external telephone line via a telephone line interface in the modem;
• coupling the facsimile machine to the modem via a local instrument interface in the modem;
• coupling the host computer to the modem via a computer interface in the modem;
• coupling the external telephone line interface to the local instrument interface such that, as rotary-dialed telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine and transmitted over the local instrument interface to the modem, they are forwarded over the telephone line interface to the external telephone line;
• initiating an external telephone call from the facsimile machine, the external telephone call being initiated by the facsimile machine dialing rotary-dialed telephone number digits which are over the local instrument interface to the modem and are forwarded directly over the telephone interface to the external telephone line;
• sensing and timing facsimile machine current to detect the rotary-dialed telephone number digits dialed by the facsimile machine as the telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine to detect from the digits a telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine;
• upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer dialed by the facsimile machine, configuring the modem to process data from the facsimile machine;
• and
• upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call that was initiated by the facsimile machine to be continued without interruption over the external telephone line.

A document handling system comprising:

• a host computer;
• a facsimile machine for converting documents into digitized data;
• and
• a modem coupled to the host computer, the facsimile machine and an external telephone line such that the host computer and the facsimile machine are coupled to the external telephone line, the modem operating in conjunction with the host computer running facsimile software to process incoming telephone calls, the facsimile machine initiating an external telephone call by dialing rotary-dialed telephone number digits and transmitting the telephone number digits to the modem, the modem forwarding the telephone number digits over the external telephone line as they are dialed such that the external telephone call is initiated, the modem being adapted to sense current in a line from the facsimile machine to detect the rotary dialed telephone number digits dialed by the facsimile machine and forwarding the digits over the telephone line as the digits are dialed and detecting from the digits a telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine and being configurable upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer dialed by the facsimile machine to process digitized document data from the facsimile machine in conjunction with the host computer running the facsimile software and, upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call that was initiated by the facsimile machine to be continued without interruption over the telephone line.

A modem for processing data in conjunction with a host computer running standard unmodified facsimile software comprising:

• a telephone line interface for coupling an external telephone line to the modem;
• a local instrument interface for coupling a facsimile machine to the modem;
• a computer interface for coupling the host computer to the modem;
• coupling circuitry that couples the telephone line interface to the local instrument interface such that, as telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine and transmitted over the local instrument interface to the modem, they are forwarded directly over the telephone line interface to the external telephone line such that an external telephone call is initiated over the external telephone line as the telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the local instrument interface that also receives the telephone number digits as the telephone number digits are dialed by the facsimile machine and that detects from the dialed digits a telephone number dialed by the facsimile machine, the processing circuitry, upon detection of a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, configuring the modem such that data from the facsimile machine associated with the dialed telephone number is transferred over the computer interface such that is can be processed by the host computer running the standard unmodified facsimile software and, upon detection of a telephone number that is not a trigger telephone number assigned to the host computer, allowing the external telephone call that was initiated by the facsimile machine to be continued without interruption over the external telephone line.