Fax transmission over the packet network

A communication system for delivering fax messages comprising:

• an enterprise backend system including a first server and a plurality of message transfer agents (MTA) for transferring and receiving messages;
• a gateway connecting Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the PSTN having a first fax terminal;
• and
• a second server communicating with the gateway through a packet network, the second server communicating with the plurality of MTAs,
• wherein the second server simulates a second fax terminal to the gateway, establishes communication with the gateway over the packet network using a standard signaling protocol, and exchanges fax data using ITU T.38 protocol, terminates a fax call originating from the first fax terminal, stores fax data into a media database, determines a destination address of a member of the plurality of MTAs, connects to the member of the plurality of MTAs, and creates a fax message for transfer in a format compatible with the member of the plurality of MTAs.

A method of delivering a fax message in a communication network, the communication network including a message transfer agent (MTA) in an enterprise backend system including a first server for transferring and receiving messages, a gateway connecting Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) the PSTN having a first fax terminal;

• and a second server communicating with the gateway through a packet network and communicating with the MTA, the method comprising the steps of:
• selecting a second server handling a first fax arrived on the first fax terminal;
• simulating the second server as a second fax terminal to the gateway to transact fax message between the MTA and the first fax terminal;
• establishing a first session between the gateway and the second server simulating the second fax terminal over the packet network using a standard signaling protocol, and exchanging fax data using ITU T.38 protocol, and a second session between the first fax terminal sending the fax on the PSTN and the second server;
• transferring the first fax from the first fax terminal to the second server simulating the second fax terminal;
• storing information related to the first fax in a media database;
• determining, in the second server, a destination address of an MTA for the first fax on the second server;
• connecting the second server to the MTA to transfer the first fax message;
• creating, in the second server, a first message in a format compatible with the MTA based on the stored information;
• connecting the second server to the MTA to transfer the first message;
• and
• transferring the first message to the MTA.

A non-transitory storage medium readable by a computer encoding a computer program for execution by the computer to carry out a method of delivering a fax message in a communication network, the communication network including a message transfer agent (MTA) for transferring and receiving messages, a gateway connecting Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) the PSTN having a first fax terminal;

• and a second server communicating with the gateway through a packet network and communicating with the MTA, the computer program comprising:
• code means for selecting a second server handling a first fax arrived on the first fax terminal;
• code means for simulating the second server as a second fax terminal to the gateway to transact fax message between the MTA and the first fax terminal;
• code means for establishing a first session between the gateway and the second server simulating the second fax terminal over the packet network using a standard signaling protocol, and exchanging fax data using ITU T.38 protocol, and a second session between the first fax terminal sending the fax on the PSTN and the second server;
• code means for transferring the first fax from the first fax terminal to the second server simulating the second fax terminal;
• code means for storing information related to the first fax in a media database;
• code means for determining, in the second server, a destination address of an MTA in an enterprise backend system for the first fax on the second server;
• code means for connecting the second server to the MTA to transfer the first fax message;
• code means for creating, in the second server, a first message in a format compatible with the MTA based on the stored information;
• code means for connecting the second server to the MTA to transfer the first message;
• and
• code means for transferring the first message to the MTA.