Method and apparatus for facsimile transmission capable of effectively decreasing communication costs

A gateway apparatus connected to a telephone network and the Internet, comprising:

• facsimile communications means for receiving facsimile communications protocols and facsimile information from a calling facsimile apparatus coupled to said telephone network through said telephone network;
• Internet communications means for transmitting said facsimile information in a packet format to a called facsimile apparatus coupled to said telephone network via a different gateway apparatus through the Internet and the telephone network;
• storing means for storing data representing a calling facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus in association with a called facsimile number of said called facsimile apparatus;
• and
• communications controlling means for determining before establishing a line connection with said calling facsimile apparatus whether said facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus is registered in said storing means as the calling facsimile number, causing said different gateway apparatus to initiate a call to said called facsimile apparatus using said called facsimile number when said facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus is determined as registered in said storing means as the calling facsimile number, and establishing a line connection upon a receipt of an acknowledgement indicating the line is connectable from said called facsimile apparatus.

A method of transmitting facsimile information from a calling facsimile apparatus to a called facsimile apparatus through the Internet using a packet format, comprising the steps of:

• storing data representing a calling facsimile number of a calling facsimile apparatus in association with a called facsimile number of a called facsimile apparatus;
• receiving a call from said calling facsimile apparatus, said call including facsimile communications protocols;
• determining before establishing a line connection with said calling facsimile apparatus whether said facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus is registered as the calling facsimile number in said storing step;
• initiating a call to said called facsimile apparatus using said called facsimile number when said facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus is determined as registered in said storing step as the calling facsimile number;
• and
• establishing a line connection upon a receipt of an acknowledgement indicating the line is connectable from said called facsimile apparatus.

An Internet facsimile system, comprising:

• a gateway apparatus connected to a telephone network and the Internet, said gateway apparatus comprising:
• a facsimile communications mechanism configured to receive facsimile communications protocols and facsimile information from a calling facsimile apparatus coupled to said telephone network through said telephone network;
• an Internet communications mechanism configured to transmit said facsimile information in a packet format to a called facsimile apparatus coupled to said telephone network via a different gateway apparatus through the Internet and the telephone network;
• a memory storing data representing a calling facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus in association with a called facsimile number of said called facsimile apparatus;
• and
• a communications controller configured to determine before establishing a line connection with said calling facsimile apparatus whether said facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus is registered in said memory as the calling facsimile number, to cause said different gateway apparatus to initiate a call to said called facsimile apparatus using said called facsimile number when said facsimile number of said calling facsimile apparatus is determined as registered in said memory as the calling facsimile number, and to establish a line connection upon a receipt of an acknowledgement indicating the line is connectable from said called facsimile apparatus.