Method and apparatus for establishing asynchronous fax communication through ISDN

A device in an integrated services digital network computer-based system that identifies common communication attributes of a destination terminal and a source terminal, prior to establishing an asynchronous communication link between the source terminal and destination terminal, said device comprising:

• the destination terminal;
• and
• the source terminal, comprising,
• a source processor,
• means for holding a source terminal program for execution by the source processor and for holding source terminal communication attributes,
• means for forming an ISDN setup message and with a coordination resource message contained therein and for including said source terminal communication attributes in said coordination resource message,
• source terminal interface means for sending said setup message with said coordination communication message to an ISDN switch using an asynchronous protocol having command frames and data frames that have a one-to-one correspondence with frames sent by the destination terminal;
• and
• means for confirming receipt of at least one of said command frames and said data frames, wherein
• said coordination resource message informs said ISDN switch of the source terminal communication attributes for comparison with destination terminal communication attributes prior to establishing said communications link.

A method performed in an integrated services digital network computer-based system for identifying common communication attributes of a destination terminal and a source terminal, when establishing an asynchronous communication link between the source terminal and destination terminal, comprising the steps of:

• holding in memory a source terminal program for execution by a source processor and holding the source terminal communication attributes therein;
• forming an ISDN setup message and with a coordination resource message contained therein and including said source terminal communication attributes in said coordination resource message;
• sending said setup message with said coordination communication message to an ISDN switch using an asynchronous protocol;
• and
• informing said ISDN switch by said coordination resource message of the source terminal communication attributes for comparison with destination terminal communication attributes prior to establishing said communications link.