EP0692906A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for increasing the compatibility of a fax machine
Assignee: Microsoft Corp
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Filing: 1995-07-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-07-10
Abstract
Abstract An method and system for increasing the compatibility of a fax machine enables one to make a fax machine compatible with at least one other fax machine feature set. The invention includes selecting a compatibility module to handle a fax transmission based on a frame of information provided by another fax machine. The compatibility module interprets this information and maps it to a capabilities object. A messaging protocol module reads this capabilities object to determine the available capabilities.
Inventors
- 👤 Franklin Fite, Jr.
- 👤 Sharad Mathur
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/333; H04N1/33307
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for increasing the compatibility of a fax machine, comprising: providing a plurality of protocols for communicating with other fax machines in a first fax machine; receiving in the first fax machine information from a second fax machine identifying the capabilities of the second fax machine; determining whether the second fax machine is compatible with a protocol in the first fax machine; if the second fax machine is compatible, then: interpreting the capabilities of the second fax machine; mapping the capabilities into a capability object; and communicating between the first and second fax machines using capabilities identified in the capability object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing protocol modules including a fax protocol module and a compatibility module; and further including the steps: selecting either the protocol module or the compatibility module based on information identifying the capabilities of the second fax machine; if a compatibility module is selected, then: interpreting the capabilities of the second fax machine with the compatibility module; and mapping the capabilities of the second fax machine into a capabilities object with the compatibility module.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the selecting step includes comparing information identifying the capabilities of the second machine in an NSF frame with an NSF list to find matching NSF information; and if matching NSF information is found, then selecting a compatibility module corresponding to the matching NSF information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing a plurality of protocol modules and a messaging protocol module; and further including the step: passing information about the capabilities of the second fax machine from a protocol module to a messaging protocol module by passing the capabilities object from a protocol module to the messaging protocol module.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step includes providing a plurality of protocol modules and a messaging protocol module; and further including the steps: passing information about the capabilities of the second fax machine from a protocol module to a messaging protocol module by passing the capabilities object from a protocol module to the messaging protocol module; and passing information about a fax transferred between the first and second fax machines by passing a message object between a protocol module and the messaging protocol module.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 5 further including the steps: providing message object functions in communication with the protocol modules; and encoding information about a fax message in a message object using the message object functions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 5 further including the steps: providing message object functions in communication with the protocol modules; and decoding information about a fax message in a message object using the message object functions.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for increasing the compatibility of a fax machine, comprising: providing a first fax machine having a messaging protocol module and a plurality of protocol modules including a fax protocol module and at least one compatibility module for communicating with other fax machines using different protocols; receiving information from a second fax machine identifying capabilities of the second fax machine; selecting a protocol module based on the information identifying the capabilities of the second fax machine; passing the information identifying the capabilities of the second fax machine from a protocol module to the messaging protocol module using a capabilities object; and if a compatibility module is selected, then interpreting the capabilities of the second fax machine; and mapping the capabilities of the second fax machine into a capabilities object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the selecting step includes comparing information identifying the capabilities of the second machine in an NSF frame with an NSF list to find matching NSF information; and if matching NSF information is found, then selecting a compatibility module corresponding to the matching NSF information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 8 further including the step: passing information about a fax transferred between the first and second fax machines by passing a message object between a protocol module and the messaging protocol module.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the protocol module is a compatibility module.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
137 words
A system for increasing the compatibility of a first fax machine comprising: a modem driver for communicating with a second fax machine; a protocol module in communication with the modem driver for selecting a compatibility module based upon information about capabilities of the second fax machine provided by the second fax machine; at least one compatibility module in communication with the modem driver for communicating with a second fax machine, and in communication with the protocol module for building a capabilities object based upon the information about the capabilities of the second fax machine; and a messaging protocol module in communication with the at least one compatibility module for receiving the capabilities object and a message object, for reading the capabilities object to determine the capabilities of the second fax machine, and for processing the message object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the protocol module is in communication with a NSF list for matching the information about the capabilities of the second fax machine with information in the list to select a compatibility module.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the protocol module is in communication with the messaging protocol module for transferring a message object between the messaging protocol module and the protocol module.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the protocol module is in communication with the messaging protocol module for transferring a message object and a capabilities object between the messaging protocol module and the protocol module.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one compatibility module is in communication with message object functions for encoding and decoding information about a fax message in a message object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
137 words
A first fax machine compatible with a plurality of fax protocols comprising: a modem driver for communicating with a second fax machine; a protocol module in communication with the modem driver for selecting a compatibility module based upon information about capabilities of the second fax machine provided by the second fax machine; at least one compatibility module in communication with the modem driver for communicating with a second fax machine, and in communication with the protocol module for building a capabilities object based upon the information about the capabilities of the second fax machine; and a messaging protocol module in communication with the at least one compatibility module for receiving the capabilities object and a message object, for reading the capabilities object to determine the capabilities of the second fax machine, and for processing the message object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The first fax machine of claim 17 wherein the protocol module is in communication with a NSF list for matching the information about the capabilities of the second fax machine with information in the list to select a compatibility module.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The first fax machine of claim 17 wherein the protocol module is in communication with the messaging protocol module for transferring a message object between the messaging protocol module and the protocol module.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The first fax machine of claim 17 wherein the protocol module is in communication with the messaging protocol module for transferring a message object and a capabilities object between the messaging protocol module and the protocol module.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The first fax machine of claim 17 wherein the at least one compatibility module is in communication with message object functions for encoding and decoding information about a fax message in a message object.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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