WO1993010617A1

WO1993010617A1 - Stand-alone device to transfer computer files using a communication line shared by a facsimile machine

Info

Publication number: WO1993010617A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/009657
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robin R. Cooper; John Couch; Robert Kulakowski; Bernard Press
Original assignee: Fisk Communications, Inc.
Priority date: 1991-11-12
Filing date: 1992-11-12
Publication date: 1993-05-27
Also published as: EP0612455A1; JPH07504301A; AU3071092A; CA2123397A1; EP0612455A4

Abstract

A method and apparatus (2) for performing transfers of computer file data stored on a computer-accessible medium, such as a diskette (11, 13), using the same communication line (4) shared by a facsimile (fax) machine (12, 14). The method and apparatus (2) employ adaptive switching techniques to provide for the receipt of data from either a fax machine (12, 14), a personal computer configured with a modem (28), or another device of the present invention (177), and provides for the file transfer crash recovery.

Description

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STAND-ALONE DEVICE TO TRANSFER COMPUTER FILES USING A COMMUNICATION LINE SHARED BY A FACSIMILE MACHINE

Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains generally to the field of telecommunications devices and, more particularly, to the 5 field of devices used to transfer data stored on computer-readable media, using a communication line shared by a facsimile machine.

Background of the Invention

10

Today, the facsimile (fax) machine or telecopier is essential business equipment for any enterprise and even an important household appliance for any busy business person.

15

The fax machine is a device that enables people separated from each other by distance and who are not connected to each other by a computer network to send and receive printed material. Faxing is a process of communication in

20 which a transmitter scans a document, photograph, map or other fixed text or graphic material and converts the information into signal waves for transmission across a communication system, such as a public switched telephone network, to a receiver at remote location. Fax machines

25 have evolved over the years in both speed and sophistication, to the point where today faxing is the most universal method for sending copies of printed documents. The most commonly used fax machine is a "Group 3" device capable of transmitting an A4 sized page of information with resolutions between 203 x 98 dots per 5 inch (dpi) and 203 x 196 dpi in less than one minute.

However, for all the widespread use, fax machines have only limited utility, because fax machines can send only copies of information from fixed paper copies. The 10 limitation can be seen in an example situation where a sender and receiver are preparing a document. The sender has prepared a draft of the document using a word processing program (e.g. WordPerfect word processing software) . The receiver needs to review the document and .5 also would like to add substantial material to the document. Although both sender and receiver have a personal computer (PC) and both use the same word processing program, the two users are not connected by a computer network or modem. Thus, there is no way that 20 both could access the same file containing the current text of the document. If possible, the receiver would like a copy of the computer files which make up the document, so the receiver could load the files onto his or her computer and add to them. The problem is how to 25 get a copy of the text file to the receiver.

This problem is typical in today's computer age, because documents are generally created using computer software and stored in files on electronic or other computer-

30 accessible media such as floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes and optical disks. Each of these file storage devices contains sequences of computer-accessible data stored in different file formats. Generally, the data stored in the files (i.e. the sequence of the data

35 in the files) is commonly stored in data formats such as ASCII or EBCIDIC, which provides a representation of the text data in a way that enables a computer to recognize the characters of the text. Word processing documents, batch files, and computer source language programs are all usually stored in such files. There are times when an individual or enterprise wishes to send files in these formats to a remote location, rather than just a hard copy.

The fax machine does not allow for easy transmission of these files, because one cannot fax a computer file. A fax machine scans a paper copy of a document to produce a series of electronic signals that can be sent to another fax machine at a remote location. The signals received can be used to reproduce a paper copy of the document at a remote location. The set of signals make up an electronic "image" of the information as it is fixed on the sheet of paper. The set of signals is considered to be in "image" or "graphic" format as it does not allow for a computer's recognition of the actual context or "meaning" of the text or picture, and thus, information in image format cannot be used by a computer like data stored in other formats, such as an ASCII text file. The set of signals comprise only a set of binary (on/off) signals which map the light and dark areas of the page. That data, in image format (usually compressed) , is then transmitted across a communication system to another fax machine, in a receiving mode, which is coupled to the communication system. Because the faxing format uses hard paper copies and sends only image formatted data, a computer file in a text or other code format is impossible to fax.

Presently, there are a number of awkward and time consuming ways to send stored files of computer information to a remote user. One option is to copy the computer file onto a transportable storage medium, such as a diskette, and send the information via United States Mail or other courier service .(e.g. Federal Express) to the receiver. That process is slow (taking at least the time it takes to manually deliver a package) and there is no guarantee that the diskette will not be damaged or the data on it corrupted in transit.

An individual or an enterprise can also send a printed (i.e. paper) copy of the information contained in most files to a remote location, using a fax machine, but the process is slow and cumbersome. A sender must first print the contents of his or her file onto a hard, paper copy and then send those pages using a fax machine to the location of the remote user who must also have a facsimile machine. A PC configured with a fax/mode board saves the sender the burden of first printing out a hard copy of the document if the contents of the file is in (or can be translated into) image format. But there are still problems on the receiving end. Once the faxed copy is received at the remote location, it will have to be retyped, scanned or otherwise translated to change the image formatted data received into a computer-accessible word processor text file. There is no guarantee that the reconstituted file is an accurate copy of the original. Moreover, for files containing information that is only readable by a computer, such as an executable program file or a database file, there is no way to produce a comprehendible paper copy of the file.

There are also ways to transfer computer files to remote locations across telephone or other communication lines using a computer; but none of these presently available methods offer to the transferrer the conveniences offered by a stand-alone fax machine. To transfer a file, there must be two computers, each connected to a modem, and each modem must be connected to the other by the telephone network or other communication system. A modem is a device that adapts the computer terminal to communicate across a telephone line. As a sending device, a modem converts the computer's digital data into frequencies within an audio range used by the telephone network or other communication system. As a receiver, a modem converts the audio frequency signals back into 5 digital information at the receiving side. With the modem, the PC can be configured to make a binary file transfer (BFT) of a computer file in any format. However, using a modem with a personal computer requires a free serial port on the PC (to hook the modem to the computer)

10_. and a communications program loaded and running on the PC. The receiver at the remote location must be notified that a file transfer is in progress, because that party's computer must be turned on and special software must be enabled and set to "wait" to receive a phone call.

15 Moreover, the user at the receiving end must also ensure that the receiving modem is on, is ready to operate and certain switches are properly set to match the transfer parameters of the sending device such as the baud rate, parity bit, and stop bits. Most businesses do not 0 currently have such equipment dedicated to listening for incoming calls twenty-four hours a day. If they did, the expense would be appreciable.

The design of the commonly used fax machine handles for 5 paper copies, the problems that the PC-modem configuration presents when sending computer files. Most fax machines communicate via a standard interface, such as, the T.30 protocol promulgated by the International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT) . 0 Because all fax machines generally follow the same protocol, problems with baud rates and parity bits, etc. are transparent to the user. Each fax machine contains a specially designed fax modem and a processor to handle transmissions according to the protocol. There is a set 5 protocol followed by the processor of a fax machine for establishing communication, sending data, receiving data, and terminating a transmission. Moreover, fax machines are stand-alone devices, designed to automatically wait for facsimile transmissions from remote locations. Most businesses have separate telephone lines for each fax machine. Thus, the machines are available to quickly send information and otherwise sit ready to receive hard copies twenty-four hours a day.

The prior art does not provide for a device which has the capability to transfer copies of disk files, with the ease presented by the fax machine. Moreover, the challenge has been to create a device that can be used to transfer disk information over the same lines that are reserved for the fax machines. Because there has been a revolution in fax machine use over the past decade, most businesses have already expended much money to have fax machines connected to telephone lines whose only use is for transmitting and receiving captured data in paper copies, such as pictures and letters. And although people make heavy use of the fax machines at their offices and homes, the communication lines for the faxes still sit idle for a considerable portion of the day. It would be an advantage for business users and a true advance in the art, if a device could be made that could "share" a communication line with a fax machine and be able to accept and transfer binary disk data, such as text files, word processing files, source code files, compiled- computer object code, and other types of data (as well as image data such as that sent by the fax machine) , without interrupting the normal operating procedure of fax machines that so many people use today. It is advantageous to have such a disk transfer device that is compatible with already existing fax technology, because consumers have already made tremendous investment in existing fax machines.

Presently, no such devices are available. The problems of routing the disk data, handling fax transmissions and allowing (in appropriate cases) for the fax transmission to proceed are just some of the problems that have prevented such a device to be implemented. In this computer-age, however, such a device has long been needed.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transmitting computer file data in any format (such as binary, text, ASCII or image) stored on any computer- accessible storage medium (such as a floppy disk, hard disk, diskette, magnetic tape or optical storage device) across a communication system, such as a public switched telephone network, using the same access line that is reserved for a fax machine. With the present invention, it is now possible for a person to transfer a file of data (or even an entire disk full of files) in a matter of seconds.

In an exemplary embodiment described below, the method and apparatus of the present invention presents a stand¬ alone data transfer device (hereinafter "fax companion") that is coupled between the fax machine and a communication system, such as a public switched telephone network. In this configuration, the fax machine accesses and is connected to the communication system by a link passing through the fax companion device. In this configuration, the present invention sends and receives computer file data in all formats without impairing the normal operating procedure of the fax machine. With an adaptive switching technique to be described below, the fax companion device of the present invention can send computer file data across a communication system to a receiving device, such as a fax machine, a PC (configured to receive data transmissions via a modem) , or another fax companion device of the present invention. The fax companion device of the present invention can also receive transmissions from a sending device, a fax machine, a PC (configured with a fax modem or a modem) or another fax companion device of the present invention.

A typical sending application for the fax companion of the present invention occurs when a person (at a sending location) wishes to send computer files disk-to-disk to another person (at a remote location) . In that situation, although the fax machines are connected to each sending and receiving fax companion devices of the present invention, the user does not want the fax machines at either end to be involved in the transmission. As will be described in detail below, the sender places a disk containing a file (in any format) into the fax companion device of the present invention, and the sending fax companion device prompts the sender to gather instructions on transmitting either a file or a set of files contained on the disk. The computer files to be transferred can contain data in any format (e.g., ASCII or text) . The fax companion device of the present invention communicates across the telephone lines following generally the established T.30 protocol set out by the CCITT and attempts to establish a communication channel with a machine (either a fax, PC, or another fax companion of the present invention) at the remote location. If at the remote location, another fax companion device of the present invention answers, that remote fax companion will use the adaptive switching technique of the present invention to determine the identity of the caller. When it is determined that the sender is also a fax companion device attempting to make a computer-file data transfer, the receiving fax companion device will assume control of the handling of the call (i.e., disconnecting the fax machine), and the two fax companion devices will exchange communications to transfer the computer file data. In this example, the sending fax companion device will send a message according to the CCITT protocol that the data is to be transmitted to a disk and can query to discover if there is a disk space available. The receiving fax companion device can check for disk availability and return a message that there is free disk space.

The fax companion device of the present invention can also send a copy of a computer file or a group of files contained on a computer-accessible medium, such as a diskette, to a personal computer (that is configured to receive data transmission) in a manner similar to the transmission of the receiving device described above.

Further, the fax companion device of the present invention can also be used to send electronically stored data to a fax machine. If, in attempting to establish communication with a remote device, a fax companion device of the present invention connects only with a fax machine, the sending fax companion device of the present invention will attempt to send a copy of the computer file to the fax machine, creating an image format copy of the file, if necessary.

In all of the transmission examples mentioned above, the device of the present invention will perform the data transmissions with a fax machine connected to it. During the transmissions, the fax will remain idle and oblivious to the transmissions that are occurring. When the transmissions are completed, a person can use the attached fax machine to send reproductions of paper copies, just as the fax machine has always been used. The fax companion device of the present invention, although coupled between a fax machine and the communication system, will provide no interference to a normal fax transmission, using the adaptive switching method and apparatus of the present invention.

The device of the present invention is further configured to receive transmissions of data and store them on computer-accessible storage media (such as floppy disks, optical disks or magnetic tapes) , working in conjunction with an attached fax machine. The present invention is configured to "share" the telephone line with the attached fax machine, at times storing a data transmission or disk as it is being received and printed by the fax machine.

In the exemplary embodiment, the adaptive switching apparatus and method of the present invention enables the fax companion device to "spy on the line", by monitoring incoming transmissions and assuming control of the call from the fax machine only when necessary. The method of adaptive switching of the present invention allows all incoming phone calls first to pass through the fax companion device and be answered by the attached fax machine. As the attached fax machine answers the incoming phone call and attempts during a caller identification phase of the CCITT protocol to establish a set of transmission parameters with the sending device (also known as a "handshake") , the fax companion device of the present invention monitors the transmission by processing the protocol information in a way that is invisible to the attached fax machine. In some cases the incoming transmission will be from a sending fax machine, directed to the attached fax machine. The present invention will invisibly monitor the transmission, but allow the transmission to proceed to the fax when necessary. In other cases, the instructions from the user will mandate that the incoming fax transmission be stored on a disk only. In such a case, the remote device of the present invention will disconnect the attached fax and take control of the transmission. In other cases, instructions from the user require that the fax transmission both be output by the attached fax machine and stored on disk by the fax companion device of the present invention. In such a case, the present invention is configured to grab information from the telephone line without interrupting the normal transmission to the fax machine. Additionally, the fax companion device shares the telephone line with the fax machine to receive transmission of computer files to be saved on disk by both PC's and other fax companion devices. On user command, these received files can also be automatically output to the fax machine to print a hard copy of the file, (creating a copy of the file in image format if necessary) .

Through the technique of adaptive switching, the fax companion device can learn what device is calling. In this way, a fax companion device of the present invention and an attached fax machine can accept data transmissions from a fax, a PC configured to send data transmission or another fax companion device of the present invention.

In performing computer-file transfers between fax companion devices, one aspect of the present invention is the ability for data transfer crash recovery, which saves users the expense of re-sending computer file data that has already arrived intact. If, during a computer file transfer between fax companion devices, the sending device finds that the transmission has ended incomplete, the sending device will attempt to establish communication with the receiving disk communication device and attempt to complete the computer file transfer. As soon as a connection has been re-established between two fax companion devices, the receiving device will scan the files found on disk and let the sender know if a previously received file was only partially captured. If one or more partially captured files are found, the receiver will then send the number of blocks received and the time and date stamp for each of the partially received files.

The sender will then scan the files that are designated to be sent, and determine if the user is trying to re- send one or more of these files. If the sender finds that one or more of these files should be recovered, the sender will transmit the missing blocks of data, (starting with the block immediately following the last complete block of data received) . The receiver will then appropriately append this incoming data to the partially received files. This aspect can save a lot of transmission time for very large computer file transfers.

Another aspect of the fax companion device of the present invention is its ability to be used in conjunction with a fax machine as a scanning device. The fax companion device of the present invention has the capability to provide loop current (or a "talk battery") to an attached device to allow the fax machine to scan documents into image format files and also to use the fax machine as an attached printer.

Brief Description of the Drawings and the Appendix

FIG. 1A Depicts an exemplary system to send and receive faxes and computer file data, using the fax companion device of the present invention;

FIG. IB Depicts a second exemplary system to send and receive faxes and computer file data using the fax companion device of the present invention;

FIG. 1C Depicts an exemplary remote device fax machine, PC, or fax companion device) connected by a communication system to a fax companion device of the present invention and a fax machine in an exemplary system to send and receive faxes and computer file data;

FIG. 2 Depicts a perspective view of an exemplary exterior of the fax companion device and its connections to a fax machine and a communication system;

FIG. 3 Depicts a block diagram overview of an exemplary configuration of the internal hardware components of the fax companion device of the present invention;

FIG. 4A Depicts a block diagram overview of the circuitry of the adaptive switching component of the fax companion device of the present invention;

FIG. 4B Depicts a schematic diagram of the fax spy circuit of the present invention;

FIG. 4C Depicts a block diagram overview of the circuit components of the adaptive switching component of the present invention showing the placement of a talk battery;

FIG. 5 Depicts an overview of an exemplary process flow of the fax companion device of the present invention during a receiving mode process;

FIG. 6 Depicts an overview of an exemplary process flow of the fax companion device of the present invention during a sending mode process; FIG. 7 Depicts an exemplary process flow of the crash recovery procedure of the fax companion device of the present invention; and FIG. 8 Depicts an exemplary circuit design of the "talk battery" of the present invention.

FIG. 9 Depicts a block diagram of the fax companion device of the present invention in an"active mode."

APPENDIX I Lists an exemplary user menu used during the sending mode of the fax companion device of the present invention.

Detailed Description

EXEMPLARY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

FIG. 1A depicts an exemplary system 2 to send and receive faxes as well as computer files stored on computer- accessible media. At a first sending/receiving location 3, there is a first fax companion device 8 of the present invention coupled to a communication system 4, by a two- way input/output communication line 4A, such as a telephone line. In the exemplary embodiment, the communication system 4 is a public switched telephone network, such as that provided by a local communication service company (e.g. New York Telephone) and a long distance communication service company (e.g. AT&T Long Distance) . The communication system could also involve other communication means such as radio. A first fax machine 12, such as any Group 3 fax machine, is coupled to the first fax companion device 8. As will be described in detail below, the first fax machine 12 has access to the communication system 4 through a connection with the first fax companion device 8 of the present invention.

At a second sending/receiving location 6 the hardware arrangement is similar to that of the first sending/receiving location 3. A second fax companion device 10 of the present invention is connected to the communication system 4, using a two-way input/output connection 4B, such as a telephone line. A second fax machine 14, such as a Group 3 machine, is coupled to the second fax companion device 10. The second fax machine 14 accesses the communication system 4 by a connection leading through the second fax companion device 10 of the present invention.

As will be described in further detail below, the system 2 for sending faxes and computer files of FIG. 1A can be used to send and receive information by fax from either the first or second sending/receiving location 3, 6, using (respectively) the first and second fax machines 12, 14. In addition, using the fax companion devices 8, 10 of the present invention copies files stored on a computer-accessible medium, such as a diskette 11, 13 can be sent and received between the first and second locations 3, 6. Additionally, faxes can be sent from one location (3 or 6) and a file containing a copy of the fax transmission in image format can be stored on a diskette 11, 13 at the other location for example, sending data from the first location 3 to the second location 6) , using a fax companion device (e.g. 8) of the present invention.

The fax companion devices 8, 10 both operate in sending and a receiving modes. While inactive (i.e. not sending or receiving) , the fax companion devices 8, 10 are further configured to maintain a wait mode, during which the fax companion devices 8, 10 will wait for the beginning of an incoming data transmission or wait to begin a sending sequence on command from a user. A forth scanner/printer mode, allows the fax companion device to be used in conjunction with an attached fax machine to scan documents or print files.

FIG. 1 B depicts a second exemplary configuration of the hardware components of a system 20 of the present invention for sending and receiving faxes and computer files. At a first sending/receiving location 22, a first fax companion device 24 is coupled to a communication system 34, such as a public switched telephone network, by a two-way input/output communication line 34A. Again, there is a first fax machine 26 at the first sending/receiving location 22, and the first fax machine 26 accesses the communication system 34 through a connection through the first fax companion device 24. Additional hardware components also can be coupled to a fax companion device of the present invention as shown with the first fax companion device 24. For example, by coupling a personal computer (PC) 28 to the first fax companion 24, the first fax companion 24 can be configured to receive a file from the PC 28 and send a copy of it to a remote location, such as the second location 25. The first fax companion device 24 is also depicted coupled as a node to a computer network 32. This arrangement enables the first fax companion device 24 to receive computer files from many network sources which can be sent to remote locations.

At a second sending/receiving location 25, a second fax companion device 40 of the present invention is attached to the communications system 34 by a two-way input/output communication line 34B. A second fax machine 42 is coupled to the communication network 34 through a connection also through the second fax companion device 42. In addition, the second fax companion device 40 can be coupled to a printing device 30, such as a laser jet printer. With an attached printing device 30, the fax companion device 24 can be configured to output a hard copy of the files received in addition to storing the received information on a computer-accessible storage medium, such as a diskette (thereby eliminating the need for a fax machine) and also providing plain paper fax copies.

At both first and second sending/receiving locations 22, 25 however, fax information can be sent and received, using the first and second fax machines 26, 42. Computer file data stored on computer accessible media can also be sent and received, using the fax companion devices 24, 40 of the present invention.

EXEMPLARY COMPONENT OVERVIEW OF FAX COMPANION DEVICES

A. Exterior View Description

FIGS. 2-4 present an overview of an exemplary con iguration of the hardware components of the fax companion device of the present invention. FIG. 2 depicts the exterior of an exemplary fax companion device 50 (such as those fax companion devices 8, 10, 24 and 40 at the locations 3, 6, 22, 25 in FIGS. 1A and IB) and related components at a sending/receiving location 52. In an exemplary embodiment, the fax companion device 50 is mounted in a plastic housing 54. In the exemplary embodiment, the fax companion device 50 is coupled to a communication system 60, (such as those described above) by a two-way input/output communication line 62, such as a telephone network (telco) line. A connector 40, such as a telephone wall jack, couples the communication line 62 to the communication system 60. On the housing 54, there is also a connector 54A, such as a telephone jack, to couple the communication line 62 to the fax companion device 50. Using the communication line 62, the fax companion device 50 is configured to receive input and output signals, as will be described in further detail below. At the location 52, an attached fax machine 76, such as a Group 3 fax machine, is additionally coupled to the fax companion device 50, using a two-way input/output communication line 78, such as a telephone line. As will be described below, the fax companion device 50 is configured to allow the attached fax machine 76 to access the communication system 60 and permit fax transmissions to be sent and received over the communication lines 62, 78. A transmission directed to the fax machine passes through the fax companion device 50 using the method and apparatus of adaptive switching to be described in further detail below. A connector 76A, such as a telephone jack, on the fax machine 76, couples the communication line 78 to the fax machine 76. The communication line 78 is connected to the fax companion device 50 with a connector 54B, such as a telephone jack, mounted on the housing 54 of the fax companion device 50. As will be described below, the interior hardware components inside the fax companion device 50 is coupled to the telephone jacks 54A and 54B and that coupling allows the fax machine 76 to access the communication network 60.

In one embodiment, the fax companion device 50 enables a user to send to or receive from a remote location a computer file stored on a computer-accessible medium, such as a diskette. To control the functioning of the fax companion device 54 the exemplary exterior of the present invention includes several additional elements. An on/off switch 54C, mounted on the housing and coupled to the interior hardware components, controls the electrical power flow to the fax companion device 50. Power for the fax companion device of the present invention comes from a power source (not shown) coupled to an electrical outlet 80 at the sending/receiving location 52. A power cord 82, coupled to housing 54 and interior components (not shown in FIG. 2) of the fax companion device is plugged into the electrical outlet 80, and sends power to be used by the interior hardware components.

A user inputs commands to control the fax companion device 50, using a keypad 56 mounted on the housing 54 and coupled to the interior hardware components. As will be described in further detail below, commands input by the user with the keypad 56 are accepted by the interior hardware components (not shown in FIG. 2) . When the fax companion device 50 requires additional keypad input information from the user, the interior hardware components (not shown in FIG. 2) will prompt the user with menu displays shown on an LCD display 58 mounted on the housing 54 and coupled to the interior component.

Other operational functions are specified with the set of software prompts listed for the user via the LCD display 58.

As the fax companion device 50 is configured to send and receive data stored on computer-accessible media, such as floppy disks and diskettes, hard drives, fixed disks, read/write CD ROMS, magnetic tapes and optical disks, the fax companion device 50 is configured to read computer files and write data to them too. The exterior view of the fax companion device 50 in FIG. 2 shows the exterior face of a sending/receiving disk drive 68. In the exemplary embodiment, the sending/receiving disk drive 68 is a 3.5 inch high-density disk drive. The components of the floppy disk drive 68 is described more fully below and make up part of the internal hardware components of the fax companion device 50.

In sending data stored in files on a computer-accessible medium, such as a diskette 69, the user inputs the diskette 69 into the sending/receiving disk drive 68 and the internal hardware will prompt the user for additional commands before sending disk information. When the internal hardware of the fax companion device 50 receives information that is to be stored on a computer-accessible storage medium, the disk drive will write it onto a diskette that has been placed into the sending/receiving disk drive 68. The fax companion device 50 is also configured to be attached to a hard drive 70 or other peripheral storage device that can be used to stored all received computer files. In such a configuration, when a user wishes a copy of the received file from the peripheral storage device, the fax companion device is arranged to copy the file from the device (e.g. 70) to a diskette 69 placed into the sending/receiving disk drive 68.

B. Internal Hardware Components

FIG. 3 depicts an overview of the internal hardware components of the exemplary fax companion device 50 shown in FIG. 2. Many of the internal components are electronically coupled to other components by connections to a computer board 100. The control functions of the fax companion device 50 are executed by a central processing unit (CPU) 102 which is attached to the computer board 100.

The CPU 102 provides the central controlling mechanism for the modes of the fax companion device: a send mode (when information contained on a computer-accessible medium such as a diskette is sent to a remote location) , a receiving mode (when a computer file or a set of files to be stored is received from a remote location) a wait or monitoring mode (when the fax companion is waiting to receive or send a transmission) and a scanner/printer mode (when the fax companion device is used in conjunction with a fax machine for scanning or printing) . In the exemplary embodiment, a NEC V.25 can be used as the CPU 102. The CPU 102 accesses and receives input from other interior hardware components of the present invention through a computer bus which couples the CPU 102 through connections in the board 100 to the peripheral chips. A gate array chip (G/A) 103 is a customized "glue" logic chip that contains logic elements used to connect related components, provide CPU address decode logic and integrate discreet logic functions.

The software to enable the CPU 102 to operate in the send, receive and wait modes is stored in a set of ROM memories 104 coupled to the CPU through attachments through the gate array chip 103. (The process flows for the various modes are described more fully below) . In addition, the CPU 102 also has access through the gate array chip 103 to a set of RAM memories 106, including non volatile RAM memories for accessing and storing information during the sending, receiving and wait mode functions.

In sending data to and receiving data from the another source (not shown) coupled to the communications network 60, the CPU 102 sends data for output and receives data for input to a fax\modem board 112 that is coupled to the CPU 102 through an electronic bus with the address decoded by the gate array 103. The fax/modem component 112 contains a half duplex modem 114 and a full duplex modem 116 for translating a computer's initial signals into audio signals to be sent over the communication system. The modems are each coupled to a data access arrangement (DAA) circuit 120, in which there is an adaptive switching component 118. The adaptive switching component 118 couples the DAA circuit to the connector 54A (providing access to the communication system) and the connector 54B (providing access to the fax machine) . The fax/modem component 112 is coupled to the CPU 102 through connections to the gate array 103. To perform the sending and receiving functions, the fax/modem components 112 and the CPU 102 have access to a real time clock (RTC) component 122. In an exemplary embodiment a

Rockwell R144 EFX can be used for the fax/modem component 112, half duplex fax/modem 114 contains a V22.BIS data modem, and a DAA circuit 118. The adaptive switch 118, of the present invention is added to the DAA circuit, and is described is further detail with reference to FIG.4.

The CPU 102 also has access to control the sending/receiving disk drive 68, with a disk controller 124 the disk controller is a circuit which transmits and receives signals to the disk drive coupled to the CPU. On another expansion connector a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) controller board 126 provides the CPU 102 with access to a peripheral interface for several peripheral device. SCSI provides high/speed, parallel data transfer capabilities for such devices as a hard drive 70 (FIG. 2) .

Additionally, the CPU 102 is further coupled to other input and output means. As described above with reference to FIG. 2, the fax companion device 50 receives user commands for sending and receiving information from the keypad 56 (FIG. 2) the fax companion 50 providing prompts for user command input using the LCD display 58 (FIG. 2) . In the exemplary embodiment, control devices are coupled to the CPU 102 to allow the CPU 102 to receive input and to interface with the user. To provide prompts for user commands, the CPU 102 is coupled to an LCD connector 108, through connections provided in the board 100. The LCD connector 108 is further connected to the LCD display 58 (mounted in the housing 54) . In an exemplary embodiment, a Samtron SMC 204-A can be used as the LCD connector 108.

The CPU is also coupled to a keypad logic component 110 (mounted on the board 100) to receive user commands input from the keyboard 56. As the user inputs commands, electronic signals are sent to the keypad logic component 110 from a coupling to the keypad 56, which are then translated and output to the CPU 102. In an exemplary embodiment, a Gray Hill brand keypad and logic component can be used as the keypad logic component 110 and keypad 56.

In the exemplary embodiment, the CPU 102 is further coupled to parallel printer port 128 and two serial printer ports: a serial 232 port 130 (for RS 232-25 wire electrical interface) and a 422 Apple port 132 (for RS422-balanced electrical interface) . Each serial port 130 is coupled to the CPU 102 through a connection to a driver circuit 134, 136. The parallel port 128 is connected to the CPU 102 by the gate array 103. The serial and parallel ports are provided to allow the user to attach printers, scanners and other peripheral devices to fax companion device. With an attached printer and scanner the fax companion device can be used to scan documents and print copies of received files, thereby eliminating the need to have an attached fax machine (e.g. 76) .

The power to operate the internal hardware components is provided by an external transformer 136, coupled to the board 100 (to supply power to the components attached thereto) and further coupled to the sending/receiving disk drive 68 (and the hard drive 70) . The transformer 136 is provided with electrical power from a source (not shown) through a connection made with the electrical power cord 82 (FIG. 2) into an ordinary wall outlet 80 (FIG. 2) .

C. Adaptive Switching

FIG. 4A depicts an exemplary embodiment of the adaptive switching component 118 of the present invention. Adaptive switching is based on monitoring the CCITT T.30 protocol progress, during the a receiving mode process, and then switching between an attached fax, the fax companion or both devices, based on information gathered during the protocol sequence between the calling machine and the attached fax machine 76. The adaptive switching component 118 allows the processor 102 of the fax companion device 50 to monitor the protocol exchange without disturbing the call in progress. The adaptive switching component 118 contains switching hardware to enable the CPU 102 to disconnect the attached fax machine 76 from the incoming communication line when necessary to receive a binary file transfer (BFT) of a computer file.

One aspect of the exemplary embodiment of the adaptive switching component 118 of FIG. 4A is that the embodiment supports adaptive switching so as to minimize any disturbance due to the impedance (load) change in the communication line characteristics during the disconnecting of the attached fax machine. The main reason that there is a need to minimize the change in communication line characteristics is due to the adaptive equalizer training phase procedure that is performed by fax modems (such as the half duplex fax modem 114 in the fax/modem component 112), during the CCITT T.30 protocol procedure. Fax modems contain a receive adaptive equalizer circuit (not shown) that allows the receiving fax machine to compensate for variations in the quality of the communication line. The receive adaptive equalizer circuit can adjust for known line impairments dynamically during what is called the "training phase" in the CCITT T.30 protocol.

As will be described in further detail below, when the fax companion device 50 determines that the caller is requesting that data is to be stored on a disk, the attached fax machine 76 must be disconnected from the communication channel. When using circuit implementations without additional hardware support to minimize line characteristic changes, the CPU 102 disconnects the attached fax machine 76, the line load characteristics will change. It so happens that the load change occurs during the DCS training-TCF phase of the CCITT protocol (as will be described in further detail below) at the time when the CPU 102 is supposed to adjust the receive adaptive equalizer circuit contained in the fax modem 114 of the present invention. Because of the switch, the line characteristics will be changing and the receiver adaptive equalizer in the fax modem 114 will base its settings on a line that does not reflect a true (steady state) condition. As such, communication performance may be impaired dramatically due to a greatly decreased bit error rate. The bit error rate indicates the number of bits that can pass through a communication channel before an error occurs. The exemplary configuration of the adaptive switching component 118 depicted in FIG. 4A reduces the impedance change during the answering portion of the receive mode. Using the adaptive switching component 118 of the present invention, the CPU 102 can also disconnect the attached fax machine 76, during the initial DCS/training phase, and allow the sending fax companion to resend the DCS/training without decreasing the transmit speed. The CCITT protocol for Group 3 fax machines allows for re-sending commands if no response is issued in 3 seconds. The receiving fax companion device can also resend its own DIS frame which will allow the sender to repeat the sender's DCS and training.

Referring to FIG. 4A the adaptive switching component includes two circuit paths leading from the connector 54A which provide the input/output access to the communication system. One circuit path provides a direct two-way connection for the fax machine to access the communication system. That circuit path leads from the jack 54A through a fax direct connect relay switch 154 and through the connector 54B (a fax RJ11 jack) providing a connection to the fax machine. A second circuit path provides a two-way connection for the half duplex fax modem 114, the full duplex modem 116 and (eventually) the CPU 102 of the fax companion device of the present invention. The circuit path leads through the DAA circuit 120 and includes a ring detect circuit 155 and an off hook relay switch 156. The connection follows the DAA circuit 120 through to the fax modem 114 and modem 118 to the CPU 102 and shown in FIG 3.

Additionally, the present invention presents a one-way spy-on-the-line circuit path leading from the direct circuit path to the fax machine to the connection to the fax/mode component 112 of the present invention. The spy-on-the-line circuit path provides a connection where the fax companion device can receive the input that is directed to the fax machine, and thus permitting the fax companion to "spy-on-the-line" of the fax machine. In the exemplary embodiment presented, it is placed behind the DAA circuit 120.

The spy-on-the-line circuit path includes a fax spy circuit 152, which enables the fax companion device to monitor the input and output from the fax companion by providing high impedance on the line. This circuit is a buffer (or a repeater) which places a high impedance buffer on the direct circuit path to the fax machine. The high impedance buffer allows the fax companion device to invisibly gather input (i.e. spy-on-the-line) , while the attached fax machine communicates with a remote device. A schematic diagram of the fax spy circuit is depicted in FIG. 4B. The operation of the circuit will be described in detail in the operation examples presented below. In this exemplary configuration of the adaptive switch component depicted in FIG. 4A, additional circuitry to generate the telco's ring signal (50 to 70 volts AC) does not need to be included in the internal hardware component of the fax companion device 59, which results in reduced hardware costs, and greater reliability. SYSTEM OPERATION EXAMPLES

A number of examples will now be presented to describe in further detail the operation of the fax companion device 50 as it is used in a systems similar to those depicted in FIGS 1A and IB.

When a user flips the on/off switch to power up the fax companion device 50, the CPU 102 is configured to begin an initialization procedure, during which the CPU 102 first performs diagnostic tests and then executes an operating system program contained in the set of ROM memories 104 (FIG 3) . The operating system is a master control program that runs the system and acts as a scheduler. In an exemplary embodiment the fax companion device 50 is configured to use the General Systems Embedded DOS operating system manufactured by General System of Redmond, Washington. The operating system provides the low level functions of job management (responding to requests from the user and outside system and loading the requested applications program into memory for execution) , data management (locating and storing data on disk) and device management (tracking the status of the controller devices) . Once the operating system is running, the CPU completes the initialization procedure by commanding the operating system to execute a system control program contained in the set of ROM memories 104.

In the exemplary embodiment, the user has the option of specifying several receiving options in a set-up phase. One of the user set up commands is a

FAXCOPY/DIS COPY/BOTH software switch which enables users to specify receiving options when a data transmissions is received from a sending fax machine. The user can select the option to have the fax transmission received by the fax machine only, by the fax companion device only (storing the fax information on a diskette) or by both devices. Another user set command is a PRINTFAX software switch, which can be set by a user to have a copy of any file received on disk by the fax companion device sent to the facsimile machine for printing. When inputting set up commands the CPU executes set routines stored in the ROM memories 104 to present the user with a menu of options. The soft switch command selections are stored in locations on the non-volatile RAM memories 106. The functioning of the software switch selection are described in further detail below.

Additionally, to receive a computer file BFT transmission, a user must also load a disk into the sending/receiving disk drive 68. When a disk is loaded into the disk drive 68, the CPU 102 is configured to check the formatting of the disk, formatting the disk (when necessary) and signaling the user when a unreadable disk is input into the drive. As a disk is loaded to the sending/receiving disk drive 68, the floppy disk controller will attempt to access the formatting sector of the floppy diskette. If the sector is not found, the floppy disk controller 124 determines that the disk is unformatted and signals the CPU 102 with an unformatted disk indicator. The CPU 102 will invoke the formatting procedures of the operating system program (executed from the set of ROM memories 104) , sending signals to the disk controller 124 to the format the diskette.

After initialization, the CPU 102 is configured to put the fax companion device 50 in wait mode, where the CPU 102, using the instruction statements of the system control procedure, waits for an input signal either from the communication line 62, 54A (FIG. 3) or a user input from the keypad 56 (FIG 3) .

A. Receiving Mode Procedure FIG. 5 depicts an overview of the process flow of the fax companion device 50, using the adaptive switching technique, during a receive mode procedure. The adaptive switching technique of the present invention, enables the fax companion device 50 to share a communication channel with an attached fax machine, as the fax machine begins the phases of the CCITT protocol. As most facsimile ma¬ chines follow the CCITT T.30 protocol for data transmission, the fax companion device 50 of the present invention follows aspects of the CCITT T.30 protocol to enable it to share a communication line with an attached fax machine.

As additional background, the CCITT T.30 protocol provides a five phase format for facsimile transmissions. FIG. 1C depicts a sample system which can be used to illustrate the five phase format and the functioning of the fax companion device during the receiving mode process. In a call set-up phase (referred to as Phase A in the CCITT T.30 specification), a communication channel is created (as in FIG. 1C) from a sending device 177 calling from a remote sending/receiving location 175) across a communication system 182, such as public switched telephone network, to the attached fax machine 76. The call set-up phase is performed when the remote sending device 176 rings the fax machine 16, and that device answers.

In a pre-message phase (Phase B) , the sending and receiving machines exchange identification and capability information. The receiving device transmits operating parameters it is capable of handling, such as supported transmission receive speed, printer step rate (minimum scan time) , compression method and protocol transmission and receive rates, to the sending device. The sending device then indicates to the receiving device which particular parameters will be used during the transmission. This pre-message procedure is also known as the "handshake". During the message transmission phase (Phase C) , the data to be transmitted occurs according to the set up parameters established in the premessage phase. Post-message phase (Phase D) responses include end of message signalling, confirmation of message received signaling, multipage signalling and end-of-transmission signalling. Finally, a call release phase (Phase E) provides the release of the communication channel established between the sending and receiving devices according to the normal rules of the communication network. All data transmissions in the exemplary embodiment generally follow this five phase script with the sending and receiving devices each having different roles in each phase.

Referring again to FIG. 5, in step 200, a user switches on the fax companion device 50 (FIG. 1C) and proceeds (after the initialization phase described above) , in step 202, to enable to the fax machine to access the phone line. Referring to FIG 4A, enabling the phone line to the fax means that the CPU 102 will close the fax direct connect relay 154. The two-way connection to the fax companion device will remain disconnected as the off hook relay switch 156 of the DAA circuit 120 initially is open. However, the CPU 102 will enable the one-way input connections, by powering up the fax spy circuit 152. Additionally, the ring detect circuit 155 will receive input form the ring and tip lines of the communication line. The CPU 102 (FIG. 3) of fax companion device 50 proceeds to step 206 and waits for an incoming call. In parallel step 206, the fax machine is also waiting.

Assume that the remote device 177 (FIG. 1C) has generated in step 208 a ringing signal and is attempting to establish a communication channel with the devices (i.e. either the attached fax machine 76, fax companion device 50 or both) . According to the CCITT T.30 protocol, the calling tone (CNG) generated by the remote device 177 is a tone of 1100 H_z, on for 0.5 seconds and off for 3 seconds. This specific tone indicates that the remote calling device 177 is a non-speech terminal device and the device is in a sending mode, ready to transmit on the receipt of appropriate confirmation signals. For purposes of the hypothetical presented, the remote calling device 177 can be either:

1. a fax companion device of the present invention in sending mode (or a PC configured with emulation software to mimic the functions of a fax companion device of the present invention) , attempting to send a computer file

(either in image format, or other format) to either: i) the fax companion device 50; ii) fax machine 76; or iii) a PC configured to accept disk transfers;

2. a fax machine attempting to send data in image format to the attached fax machine 76;

3. a PC configured with a fax/modem board attempting (in emulation of a fax machine) to send data in image format to the fax machine 76;

4. a PC configured with data transmission software and a modem attempting to send data contained on a file (in image, ASCII or other format) to another similarly configured computer.

Referring to FIG. 5, the CPU 102 of the fax companion device 50 of the present invention continues from steps 204 to step 208, where the ring detection circuit 155 of (FIG. 4A) of the DAA circuit 120 signals the CPU 102 that the phone line is ringing. The ringing signal generated by the remote sending device 177 travels the direct two- way communication channel to the fax machine 76, allowing the attached fax machine 76 to have the first chance to answer and respond to the call. In an exemplary embodiment, the CPU 102 allows the ring detection circuit 155 to detect 4 rings. In step 210, (FIG. 5), the attached fax machine 76 also detects the call.

Assume that the attached fax machine 76 in step 212 answers the call and goes off hook before four ring signals have passed. The instant the CPU 102 detects the off hook condition of the fax machine the CPU 102, in step 218 it will begin "spying-on-the-line" i.e. monitoring the communications between the attached fax machine 76 and the remote sending device 177. In the exemplary embodiment, the off hook condition is detected when either the ring signal stops or when a response is detected from the fax machine.

At this point, the CPU 102 is arranged to receive as input the exchange of communications between the remote device and the attached fax machine, as the two devices attempt to establish in the "handshake" procedure a set of parameters for a data transmission.

As the CPU 102 of the fax companion device 50 continues to spy-on-the-line, the fax machine 76, according to the protocol, will now respond in step 216 by outputting a called station identification signal (CED) . The CED is a continuous 2100 Hz (plus or minus 15 Hz) tone generated for a duration of not less than 2.6 seconds and not more than 4.0 seconds. This signal will pass from the fax machine through the direct two-way communication channel of the adaptive switching component 118 (FIG. 4A) and over the communication system 182 to the remote sending device 177 (FIG. 1A) , thus completing the phase A call- establishment procedure according to the CCITT T.30 specification.

As the Phase B pre-message identification and capabilities confirmation procedure begins, the CPU 102, via the adaptive switching component 118 of the present invention in step 218, will continue "spy-on-the-line" to monitor the progress of the communications between the attached fax machine and the remote device 177, as the two machines "negotiate" various transmission parameters. The input will be monitored by the CPU 102, until the CPU 102 can learn of the remote sending device's identity and inventions. During the phase B handshake procedure, the attached fax machine 76, in step 220, will send a digital identification signal (DIS) . The DIS signal identifies the capabilities of the attached fax machine 76, such as resolution, transmission speed, paper length support, and other capabilities of the fax machine. This signal will passes though the adaptive switching component 118 and is received by the remote sending device.

According to the CCITT T.30 protocol, the remote sending device must transmit a digital command signal (DCS) in response to the received DIS signal. The DCS signal contains an identification of the remote sending device 177 to identify itself and its intentions. In steps 222 and 224, both the attached fax machine 76 and the CPU 102 of the fax companion device 76 of the present invention wait to receive the DCS from the remote device. Assume that the remote device in step 226 sends a DCS signal.

1. Another Fax Companion Device is Calling

If the remote sending device is another fax companion device of the present invention attempting to send information, it will make use of the DCS signal to reveal its identity and intentions. By examining the contents of the DCS signal, the CPU 102 in step 228 can determine whether there is a command from another fax companion device to store data on a disk.

The detection of a call from a remote fax companion device is performed by checking bit 42 of the DCS command sent by the remote device 177. In the CCITT T.30 specification, Table 2 defines the bit assignments for the DCS command. DCS bit 40 is used as the extend field bit to extend the DCS command field 8 additional bits. The second bit of the extended frame (bit 42) has been proposed by a working group of the CCITT as the protocol format to extend T.30 to support binary file transfers (BFTs) by fax modems. The remote device 177 (a now identified as fax companion device) , when performing a call to store disk data, will set each of the DCS bits 40 and 42 to a logic one, and the CPU 102 of the fax companion device 50 will detect these bits, when detecting the DCS in step 228. By monitoring bits 40 and 42, the CPU 102 knows when to switch by learning that the remote device is a fax companion device and is requesting to store a file on a computer-accessible storage medium. An alternative method of identifying a calling fax companion can be achieved using a NSF frame (T.30) or a different frequency calling tone. Assume that the CPU 102 in step 230 determines that the remote sending device is a fax companion device with a computer file to store. If so, the CPU 102 proceeds to step 232 to disconnect the fax machine. Referring to FIG. 4A disconnecting the fax machine entails first closing the off hook relay switch 156 (to establish a two-way communication channel from the fax companion device) and then opening the fax direct connect relay 154. If, in step 236, the fax machine is disconnected it will proceed in step 238 to time out and reset returning to a wait mode in step 240. When the remote sending unit 177 sends the DCS command indicating an incoming BFT transmission, it will immediately follow with a training-TCF sequence according to the CCITT T.30 protocol in step 234. As mentioned above, the purpose of the training-TCF sequence is to allow the receiving fax or fax companion device 76, 50 to adjust its respective receive adaptive equalizer to compensate for line impairments. However, during this training sequence, in step 234 the adaptive switching component 118 (FIG. 3) will be disconnecting the attached fax machine 76. As a result, the communication line will have its characteristics change due to the impedance change during switching. If the receive adaptive equalizer circuit of the fax/mode 112 attempted to operate during this switching state, the setting chosen by the adaptive equalizer would represent an equalized state for a transient condition - a state that may differ vastly from the steady state condition that will occur after the switching is complete.

To solve this problem, the CPU 102, in step 232, disconnects the fax machine by signalling to open the fax direct connect relay. However, the CPU 102 leaves the fax spy circuit powered up, which places a high impedance load on the incoming communication line that does not change when the fax machine is disconnected. Thus, there is little or no change in the state of the line. Without the buffer, the low impedance load (typically 600 ohms) of the attached fax machine 76 would cause severe line characteristic changes, causing incorrect adaptive equalizer settings.

Even with the fax spy circuit on, however there is still cause for line characteristic change when the fax machine is disconnected from the line. Thus, the CPU 102 is arranged to ignore the first DCS training-TCF sequence to allow the line to settle and will use the second (repeated) training-TCF signal to adjust the adaptive equalizer in the fax modem 114 (FIG. 3) . The T.30 protocol requires that a missed sequence be repeated up to three times, if a response to a command sequence is not received. The CPU's waiting for the second signal insures that the adaptive equalizer are compensating for the line conditions in a steady state condition, one with the attached FAX machine removed from the line. It is even likely that the fax companion device 50 would fail to train during the first training phase. Moreover, any attempts to train during switching of the attached fax machine 76 could result in a drop in transmission speed from 9600 bits per second (BPS) to 7200 BPS, and higher telephone company charges.

With the attached fax machine disconnected in step 232 and the device trained to receive information at conforming baud rates (etc.), the fax companion in step 242 will output a confirmation to receive (CFR) signal, according to standard CCITT T.30 protocol and transmission of the computer file can commence.

In this transmission, the remote sending device 177 (in this case a fax companion device) will read information from the designated disk file and transmit it across the communication network in a set of transmissions, according to phase C of the CCITT T.30 protocol. The transmissions will be received as each transmission travels over the communication line 62, through the off hook relay 156 of the DAA circuit 120 into the fax/mode component 112 and is input to the CPU 102. As long as there is a formatted storage medium available in the send/receive disk drive 68, such as a diskette, the CPU 102, in step 242, will route the incoming stream of data to the disk drive 68 through the floppy disk controller 124. When the entire file is transferred, the CPU 102, in step 242, will perform the Phase D post message procedure and Phase E Call release procedure according to the CCITT T.30 protocol. Data transfer is now complete, in this example and the fax companion device will return to the wait mode.

In addition, during the Phase C message transmission, the background information will also contain a commands to the create file directories which replicate the directories from the sets of files that are being transferred. The CPU 102 can process the commands and signal the disk controller 124 to create the directories for files to be transferred.

Further, the fax companion device 50 of the present invention will send and receive all data in a compressed form. In the exemplary embodiment, data compression software, such as one supplied by Pkware, Inc. in Glendale Wisconsin, will be loaded into the ROM memories 104 of the fax companion devices at both sending and receiving locations. The Pkware compression software allows the CPU 102 (FIG. 3) to determine the best method of compressing the data to be transferred. Compression is performed on picture data, text data, and binary data. At the receiving end, the data compression software will be initiated by the CPU 102 to open the previously transferred file, read the header information from the file, and begin to properly uncompress the data. Compression techniques greatly improve the time it takes to transmit the data.

Notice also in the example above that as the Phase B pre- message sequence progresses, the remote fax companion device 177 (FIG. 1C) must ignore the attached fax machine's 76 DIS (Digital Identification Signal) command, because standard fax machines do not indicate the support of the binary file transfer standard. Because the exemplary configuration of the present invention is designed to work as a companion with the widely used Group 3 fax machines, the exemplary procedure to perform a BFT transfer without modifying the attached fax machine's DIS signal insures protocol compatibility during transmissions from remote fax machines as will be described below. In another embodiment, described in further detail below, the fax companion device 50 can be arranged to read the attached fax machine's DIS signal, modify the command, and send the command to the calling device. However, that configuration will incur greater expense in operating the fax companion device 50. Instead, the process of allowing the attached fax machine to respond to the called unit eliminates the possibility of equipment incompatibility with the established base of fax machines, and changes only one sequence in the protocol sequence of the proposed BFT standard. This minimal change in the proposed BFT specification allows the fax companion device 50 to support attached fax machines on a single line.

Disk Storing Procedure

In receiving information to store on a computer accessible medium, such as a diskette, the fax companion device 50 of the present invention is designed to handle many different situations. During the Phase B pre-message procedure of the CCITT protocol, if the remote sending device is another fax companion device, it will send in the identification sequence and an indication of the storage medium that the remote device would like the sent data to be stored on (i.e. diskette, tape, etc.). In the exemplary embodiment, the CPU 102, during the Phase B pre-message procedure will signal for the disk controller 124 to determine whether the requested drive is available, the disk controller 124 being arranged to output a status signal of "OK" when there is a disk loaded and formatted on the drive, with storage room available.

If the drive is available, the CPU 102 will output in step 242 (during the Phase B pre-message procedure) that a drive is ready. If no disk drive is available, the CPU 102 will output an error signal to remote device, send the message "OUT OF DISK SPACE", and terminate the communication.

3. A Fax Machine Calls

Returning again to FIG. 5 instead of the example above, assume now that the remote device 177 (FIG. 1C) is a fax machine. Assume also that during the phase B protocol procedure, the DCS command in step 228 received by the

CPU 102 of the companion device 50 shows in step 250 that the remote device 177 is a fax machine, such as a Group 3 fax machine, that wishes to access the attached fax machine 76. In this case, the CPU 102 proceeds in step 252 to check the FAXCOPY/DISKCOPY/BOTH software switch set during the set up phase by the user to determine the location of where the information will be received.

Notice at this point the attached fax machine 76 has already transmitted a DIS command that has been received by the fax machine at the remote location. Although in the previous examples, the D15 command was ignored by the remote fax companion device, the D15 is now a necessary part of the CCITT response protocol as the sending fax needs to receive the DIS command in order to continue.

If the CPU 102 determines in step 254 that the FAXCOPY/DISKCOPY/BOTH software switch is set to FAXCOPY, the incoming transmission is to be directed only to the attached fax machine 76. In this case, the CPU 102 will not disconnect the attached fax machine 76 from the communication channel. Referring FIG 4A, this means that the CPU 102 will not signal to open the fax direct connect relay 154 and the two-way communication circuit to the fax companion device will not be opened. In step 256 of FIG. 5, the CPU 102 will continue to spy-on-the-line and allow the attached fax machine 76 (in step 268) to respond during the DCS training TCF Phase and during the Phase C, and E trans¬ mission sequences. In this example, the attached fax machine 76 in step 270 will accept the transmission, and the fax companion device 50 will not store the transmission. In steps 272 and 274 both devices will return to wait mode when the transmission is complete.

If, in step 254, the FAXCOPY/DISKCOPY/BOTH software switch is set to DISKCOPY, the incoming fax transmission is to be received by the fax companion device 50, rather than the fax machine 76. In this case, the CPU 102, in step 276, will disconnect the attached fax machine 76, during the training TCF sequence (as described above) . Once disconnected, the CPU 102, in step 242, will assume the protocol responses and accept the transmission as described above. Having stored the transmission, the fax companion device 50, in step 278 will return to the wait mode. As the fax machine 76 in step 276 has been disconnected, the fax machine, in step 280, will time out and, in step 282, return to the wait mode.

If the FAXCOPY/DISKCOPY/BOTH software switch is set to BOTH, the fax transmission is to be stored both as a fax copy and on disk. In this case, the CPU 102 will not disconnect the attached fax machine 76 from the communication channel. Instead, the CPU 102 will proceed to step 256 and allow the fax machine, in step 268, to transmit the response. The CPU 102 will spy-on-the-line as described above, storing the incoming data on disk while the transmission is being sent at the same time to the fax machine. 4. A PC Attempts a Binary File Transfer

As an additional example, assume now that the remote device 177 is a PC coupled to a modem and arranged with communication software. Thus, the PC will be attempting to make a disk-to-disk file transfer attempting to find another similarly configured PC. In this case the PC communicates according to a protocol similar to the CCITT T.30 protocol, attempting in Phase A to establish a call and in phase B attempting to "negotiate" a set of transfer parameters.

The PC via the modem will transmit an identification signal ID similar to the DCS signal followed by fax machines under the CCITT protocol. The CPU 102 is arranged to recognize this PC ID signal. Referring FIG. 5 when the PC ID is received in step 228 and identified, in step 230, as a PC calling, the CPU 102, in step 232, will disconnect the attached fax machine 76 (as described above) and proceed to respond to the remote PC to receive the data transmission (as described above) , following steps 242 and 278.

If the Attached Fax Does Not Answer

Referring to FIG. 5, if, in step 212, the attached fax machine does not go off hook in four rings, the CPU 102, in step 214, is programmed to assume that there is no fax machine attached to it or that the fax machine is disabled. In the exemplary embodiment, the CPU 102 counts the rings by the signals transmitted by the ring detection circuit 155 (FIG. 4A) of the DAA circuit 120 (FIG 4A) . After four rings, the CPU 102, in step 290, will disconnect the attached fax machine 76 (as described above) and proceeds, in step 292, to answer the call.

In the exemplary embodiment, the CPU 102 is further configured to answer the incoming call by transmitting a CED signal. The CPU 102 is further configured, in step 292, to transmit a DIS signal identifying itself as a fax companion device with BFT capability and fully programmed to accept a BFT transmission. Once the DIS signal is transmitted, the fax companion will await the DCS command that identifies the remote device and handle the data transmission through Phases C, D, and E of the CCITT Protocol, as is described above, returning, in step 294, to wait mode when the call is complete.

B. Sending Mode Procedure

The fax companion device 50 of the present invention is further configured to send files stored on computer- accessible media, such as diskettes, to a remote receiving device 177 in a remote sending/receiving location 175 (FIG. 1C) , such as a fax machine, a PC or another fax companion device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary process flow for the fax companion device 50 during the sending mode. Initially, the fax companion device 50 is in a wait mode, as in step 300. The sending mode is invoked in step 302, when a user at the location chooses the option to send by inputting such a command using the keypad 56 (FIG. 3) . The CPU 102 (FIG. 3) recognizes the command and provides the sender, in step 304, with a menu of options which the CPU 102 outputs to the LCD controller 108. The menu is displayed on the LCD display 58, in a simple "What?, Where? When? and How?" format as is shown in APPENDIX 1. This format allows the user in step 304 to select many choices such as the destination device (fax, PC or fax companion) and the different people who are to receive the transmission.

In an exemplary embodiment, the CPU 102, in step 304, further provides the user with a prompt lo either input the phone number of the remote location, or to choose a number from a "phone directory" list of previously stored (and often used) numbers located in the non-volatile RAM memories 106. (See APPENDIX 1) . The CPU 102 will further prompt the user to enter a diskette containing a file to be transmitted into one of the sending disk drives 68. The sending data can be a file or a group of files contained in a directory. The files can be in any format.

To perform the file transfer, the fax companion device 50 follows the CCITT T.30 five phase protocol. In step 306, the CPU 102 initiates the phase A call establishment procedure by sending signals to the fax/modem component 112 (FIG. 3) to dial the telephone number corresponding to the remote location, generating a CNG signal. The CPU 102, in step 308, will wait for the remote receiving device 177 to answer. If the device at the remote location answers the call, it will go off hook and transmit back, in step 308, a CFR signal, according to the CCITT T.30 protocol.

Next, during the phase B pre-message procedure, the fax companion device 50, in step 308, will wait for the DIS identification command to be sent from the remote device, and, if received, will, in step 310, output a DCS command. The DCS command transmitted in step 310 will identify the sender as a fax companion device with BFT capability and indicates an intention by requesting to send the data to a disk, ignoring the originally sent DIS command. In the exemplary embodiment, the sending fax companion device 50, in step 312, will wait to receive a second DIS command to be sent in the event that an attached fax companion has assumed control of the call.

ι. Sending to Another Fax Companion

Assume, in step 312 that the remote receiving device 177 (FIG. 1C) responds and the CPU 102 determines (in step 314) that the remote receiving device is a fax companion device and (in step 316) that disk space is available.

If so, the CPU 102 proceeds, in step 320, to execute the file transmission following the CCITT protocols of phase C, D and E procedure. Once the transfer is complete, the CPU 102 proceeds, in step 322, to terminate the call and return to, in step 324, to the wait mode.

Returning to step 316, if the CPU 102 determines in that disk space is unavailable at the remote receiving location, the CPU 102 proceeds to step 326 sending an error message to the user, in step 328, terminating the call and, in step 330, beginning the wait mode.

2. When the Response Says Fax

Returning to step 314, if the CPU 102 finds that only a fax has responded (or a PC configured with a fax modem board) , the sending device must make sure that the data is in image format. The CPU 102 proceeds, in step 332, to determine the format of the stored data. This determination is performed by the CPU 102, in the exemplary embodiment, using a public domain software technique that looks into a file and determines the file type. If, in step 334, the CPU 102 determines that information in the file to be sent is in image or text format, the CPU, in step 336, 102 will proceed with the transmission. Otherwise the CPU 102, in step 326, will proceed to hall the transmission, outputting an error message to be printed on the LCD display 108 (FIG. 3) , and, in step 328, terminating the call. In another embodiment, the CPU 102 can be configured to create a formatted copy of the file to send to the fax, instead of terminating the call in step 326. A translation program (such as the Inset program marketed by the company High Jack) can create a copy of the data file in image format, thus enabling the fax companion device 50 to send to the remote fax machine.

3. Sending the Transmission to a PC

If in step 312, the CPU 102, finds that the remote receiving device is a PC configured with a modem, the CPU 102 would follow steps 312-330 to execute the full transmission as above. In the exemplary embodiment, the sending fax companion device is configured to assume that the receiving PC is another fax companion device, and performs the same sending procedure, as in steps 308320 described above.

C. Crash Recovery Procedure

Crash recovery is another aspect of the present invention that is inherent in the sending and receiving modes of the fax companion device of the present invention. During a file transmission between two fax companion devices of the present invention, the sending device, in step 320 (FIG. 6) , will be able to detect whether a file transmission has disconnected prematurely, as the call will have ended before all blocks of the file were transferred. Is such is the case, the sending fax companion device will follow a crash recovery procedure and attempt to resend the remainder of the files, which did not transfer. As the crash recovery procedure does not attempt to re-send the entire file or set of files, the present invention saves users the time and expense of re-sending data that has already arrived intact.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary process flow for the crash recovery procedure of the present invention. After a crash, the sending fax companion device, in step 400, places a second call to the receiving fax companion device. The call is establish using telephone number information input by the sender in the previous transmission attempt.

In step 402, a communication channel is established again between the sending and receiving fax companion devices (as described above) using the Phase A call establishment and phase B call identification/handshake procedure. In step 404, the sending fax companion device will signal the receiving fax companion device to check for any incomplete blocks received concerning the partially transmitted file. The signal is sent in the header of a Phase C transmission block in a location that is recognized by the receiving fax companion device. By signalling its disk controller 124, the CPU 102 of the receiving fax companion device can check the disks currently in its send/receive disk drive 68 for any partially received files.

If, in step 406, the receiving fax companion device locates any partial blocks of received files, in step 408, it will send an acknowledged list of partially received files along with the last successful found block number, with a time and date stamp for each file block. In step 410, the CPU 102 of the sending fax companion device receives this list and performs a comparison operation to compare the files and blocks listed with the names and blocks of the files that were supposed to be sent in the incomplete transmission. If, in step 412, matches were found, the CPU 102 of the sending for companion device locates the partially received file block and re-sends them, following phase C of the CCITT protocol. As the blocks are received, the receiving fax companion device appends the blocks to the appropriate files. In step 416, new file blocks are sent to complete the transmission until the transfer is complete, and, in step 422, the call is terminated.

Returning to step 412, if no comparison match is found, the CPU 102 of the sending fax companion device proceeds in step 420 to transmit new material until in step 422 the call is terminated. Returning to step 406, if the receiving fax companion device finds no partially received blocks, the receiving device signals the sending fax companion device, and, in step 420, the devices transmit new file blocks until the transmission is complete and, in step 422, the call can be terminated.

TALK BATTERY

The present invention further provides a configuration with a "talk battery" that will enable the fax machine be used as a scanner or a printer, when used in conjunction with the fax companion device of the present invention. With the method and apparatus of the present invention, the documents can be scanned using the fax machine and a graphic image of the document can be stored on disk by the fax companion device. Further, files stored on disk by the fax companion device can be printed out on the fax machine. The problem with such use of the fax machine is that certain DAA circuits found in modems require loop current to operate, and because of this requirement, a direct connection between a fax machine and a modem is not always possible. This is especially true in portable equipment. In telephone networks a current is provided to signal that the telephone is off-hook (signaling) , and the current also provides what is call "Talk battery" . Talk battery is provided over the telephone line from the central office and provides the potential voltage across the electrodes of the transmitters mouthpiece (carbon microphone) . Talk battery also provides power for electronics contained in the telephone. Certain data access arrangements (DAA) circuits require loop current for the proper operation of the telephone line coupling (typically called a "dry transformer") . The local battery (or talk battery) circuit will provide loop current to the attached communication device. The present invention's capability to provide loop current to an attached device will provide direct connection for using the scanner found in a Fax machine and enable user to scan documents into the fax companion device. This same device allows the modem to use the attached Fax machine as a printer. The printer may be useful when the person with the fax companion and fax is traveling.

FIG 4C shows an exemplary configuration of the adaptive switching component 118 showing the placement of the "talk circuit" of the present invention. A battery 500 is coupled to a fax direct connect relay that is now adapted to accommodate a three-way switch. In this configuration, local battery circuit does not reduce the operational performance of the DAA circuit with regards to such criteria as the FCC Part 68 requirements, because the circuit is isolated from the telephone line via a three way switch. When the telephone line is on, the circuit is off. A power source provides a twelve 12 volt potential. FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary circuit design for the local battery 500, showing the fax direct connection switch 154 and the power source 502 and the direct two-way communication circuit with the fax machine.

ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENT VARIATIONS

A. Adaptive Switching

Another way of performing the adaptive switch procedure of the present invention is to use a modified calling tone which is transmitted by the fax modem component 112 of a sending fax companion device 50. In this embodiment, the receiving fax companion device 50 would be comprised to answer the phone, look for a modiFied calling tone, and, if the standard fax calling tone is detected (1100 hertz) , generate a ring signal for the attached fax machine. The modified calling tone could be generated in various frequency ranges for example, 1600, 1800 or 1900 hertz) . The key to this approach is that the receiving fax companion device 50 answers, and, when detecting the special fax companion calling tone, proceeds to handle the call. When the receiving fax companion device 50 detects a standard fax calling tone, the receiving fax companion device 50 generates the ring signal for the attached fax. The drawback to this approach is that the receiving fax companion device 50 must redundantly generate the ring signal to output to the attached fax machine 76. The hardware circuit support required for such an embodiment is fairly expensive, because the ring signal must be 50 to 70 volts AC, with enough drive current for telephone and fax machine ringer devices.

Another variation of this modified calling tone approach for fax companion adapted switching - one in which the ring voltage does not need to be generated - is as follows: The receiving fax companion device 50 allows the attached falx machine to answer the call and monitors the line looking for the standard fax calling tone (1100 H_z) or the special fax companion calling tone. If the receiving fax companion device 50 detects the standard fax calling tone then it allows the fax machine processes the call. If a special fax companion calling tone is detected, the receiving fax companion device 50 performs the call processing.

B. Additional Feature Configurations

The fax companion device 50 can be built with only a few features or with many features. The most simple fax companion device 50 contains only one disk drive, a modem, a keypad, and an LCD display, and an option for a serial and a parallel port. This basic fax companion device will simply be a single diskette attachment to their existing fax machine. The fax companion device 50 also can be interfaced to a hard disk drive or a floppy disk drive with a disk autoloader. The hard drive would be particularly useful in a network environment where the various nodes on the network could query the f ax companion device as it is set up as an alternative drive.

The fax companion device 50 can also be further configured to have many application programs in the set of ROM memories 104 (FIG. 3) . One of these is an optical character recognition (OCR) program. The OCR program can read the contents of an image file and convert the image into a much smaller text file that can the be manipulated by a word processor. Another software program that can be made available on a fax companion device 50 is a cross compiler. A cross compiler can take an executable file and make the appropriate adjustments in order to create another executable file that can operate on a different operating system. The operator of the fax companion device 50 would use the keyboard to indicate which of these software programs is selected, and which file is to be translated. If a phone call came in to the fax companion device 50, during the operation of a software program, the software program currently performing the application (OCR or cross compiler) would be suspended until the phone call has been completed, then the software program would resume operation.

The fax companion device 50 will continue processing in the fashion described. The above described exemplary embodiment of the invention is meant to be representative only, as certain changes may be made without departing from the clear teachings of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims which alone define the invention.

C. Receipt of Information Message Generation

The fax companion device 50 may also include a receipt of information message generation feature. When the fax companion device 50 receives information and stores that information on the computer accessible medium, the CPU 102 will send a message to the attached fax machine 76. The message will state, for example, that information has been received by the fax companion device 50 and that this information is stored on the computer accessible medium.

Additionally, the message sent to the attached fax machine 76 may include, for example, the time of receipt of the information by fax companion device 50, the file or directory in which the information is stored on the computer accessible medium, the sender's name and address details, the size of the information stored, and the title (or first line) of the information received.

The CPU 102 of the fax companion device 50, upon receipt and storage of the information, creates the message to be sent to the attached fax machine 76. The fax companion device 50 generates a ring signal which is transmitted to the attached fax machine 76 without needing to connect to a public telephone line. The fax companion device 50 will generate all the required parameters to establish the communication with the attached fax machine 76. In accordance with a communications protocol, such as the CCITT T.30 protocol, the attached fax machine 76 will establish a set of parameters for a data transmission, as discussed in detail above. The fax companion device 50 will then transmit the message in image form, containing details about the information received and stored by the fax companion device 50. This message will then be printed by the attached facsimile machine 76.

D. Active Mode

As an alternative embodiment, the fax companion device 50 operates actively as an interface between the device sending the information and the attached fax machine 76.

Referring now to Fig. 9, there is illustrated a simplified block diagram of the "active mode" fax companion device 50 and its connection to an attached facsimile machine 76. A sending device 49 transmits information over a communication line directly to the fax companion device 50. The sending device, which can be another fax companion device, a facsimile machine or a computer with a fax modem, preferably can engage in BFT transmissions.

Assuming that the sending device 49 is sending a BFT transmission, the sending device 49 will generate a ring signal. In this embodiment, the ring signal will be answered by the fax companion device 50. The sending device 49 will transmit a header in accordance with the BFT protocol which indicates that the transmission is a Binary File Transmission, and the destination (e.g., memory, FAX or both) for the transmission. For an example of a BFT protocol having a header field that can be used to identify data type, processing and destination information, reference should be made to U.S. application Serial No. 963,430, filed October 19, 1992, entitled

"Method And System For Organization Of Data And Related Information For Use In A Communications Protocol For An Intelligent Transfer Of Data." Application Serial No. 963,430 is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.

If the sending device 49 requests that the information being transmitted is to be stored in a computer- accessible medium, such as a disk drive 68, the CPU 102 accordingly determines, by examining the header in the transmission, that the information being transmitted is to be stored in the disk drive 68. The fax companion device 50 will route the information transmitted by the sending device 49 to the disk drive 68, as explained above. In such a case, the attached facsimile machine 76 is not involved in the receiving process.

If the destination of the information being transmitted is to be the attached facsimile machine 76, communications must be established with the attached facsimile machine 76. The CPU 102 determines, by examining the header in the transmission, that the information being transmitted is to be received by the attached facsimile machine 76. The fax companion device 50 will then generate and transmit a ring signal to the attached facsimile machine 76 and will allow the attached fax machine 76 to communicate with the sending device 49 according to the CCITT T.30 protocol. Thereafter, the fax companion device 50 will remove itself from the transmission/receipt process.

The CPU 102 of the companion device 50 can also be programmed to establish communications with a sending device 49 which is not sending a BFT transmission and is operating according to another communication protocol, such as, e.g., the CCITT T.30 protocol.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for monitoring and storing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line to a facsimile machine, the sending device and facsimile machine communicating according to a communications protocol, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to the facsimile machine; means for input of command signals; a memory for storing the stream of data; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including: means for coupling the memory to the communications line, and means for disconnecting the facsimile machine from the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, monitoring the command signals without interrupting the stream of data to the facsimile machine, the processor including: means for determining in response to the command signals whether the stream of data is to be routed to the facsimile machine, the memory or both the facsimile machine and the memory, and means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for input of command signals comprises a portion of the stream of data.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for input of command signals comprises a user switch coupled to the processor.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the adaptive switch includes means for placing a high impedance load on the communications line to prevent line characteristic changes when the facsimile machine is disconnected.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further comprises means for sending a protocol response to the sending device.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the adaptive switch further comprises means for coupling, via the second connector, the memory to the facsimile machine.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the processor further comprises means for causing a predetermined segment of the stream of data, when stored in the memory, to be transmitted to the facsimile machine to be printed.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the processor further comprises means for converting the predetermined segment of the stream of data to a stream of data in image format prior to transmission to the facsimile machine.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further comprises: means for scanning the memory to determine if all of the stream of data was stored, means for notifying the sending device if all of the stream of data was not stored, and means for appending a re-sent stream of data in the memory.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the communications line is a telephone line.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the first connector is a telephone jack and wherein the second connector is a telephone jack.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the memory is a disk in a disk drive.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the disk is a hard disk.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the disk is a floppy disk.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the memory is an optical disk.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the sending device is a remote facsimile machine.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the sending device is a computer coupled to a modem.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the sending device is a personal computer with a facsimile modem.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the stream of data includes a computer file in binary format.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the stream of data includes a computer text file.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the facsimile machine is a computer with a facsimile modem.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor further comprises: means for signaling a remote device, means for sending output command signals to the remote device, means for determining if the remote device is a facsimile machine or a fax companion device, means for sending to the remote device, as an output stream of data, predetermined data that is stored in the memory, and means for converting the output stream of data to image format if the remote device is a facsimile machine.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the output command signals includes a signal identifying the device as a fax companion device.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein the output command signals include a signal requesting that the remote device save the output stream of data in a memory device.

25. A device for monitoring and storing an input stream of data sent by a sending device across a communications line and sending an output stream of data to a receiving device across the communications line, the input stream of data including input command signals, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to a facsimile machine; a memory storing the output stream of data and capable of storing the input stream of data; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including: means for coupling the memory to the communications line, and means for disconnecting the facsimile machine from the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, including: means for monitoring the input command signals without interrupting the stream of data to the facsimile machine, means for determining in response to the input command signals whether the input stream of data is to be routed to the facsimile machine, the memory or both the facsimile machine and the memory, means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means, means for signaling the receiving device, and means for sending the output stream of data to the receiving device.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the communications line is a telephone line.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the first connector is a telephone jack and wherein the second connector is a telephone jack.

28. The device of claim 25 wherein the processor further comprises means for inserting output command signals in the output stream of data, the output commands signaling the receiving device to store the output stream of data in an attached memory.

29. The device of claim 25 wherein the output stream of data comprises the input stream of data.

30. The device of claim 25 wherein the processor further comprises means for causing the output stream of data to be transmitted to the facsimile machine to be printed.

31. The device of claim 25 wherein the facsimile machine is a computer with a facsimile modem.

32. The device of claim 25 wherein the receiving device is a receiving facsimile machine.

33. The device of claim 25 wherein the processor further comprises: means for scanning the memory to determine if all of the input stream of data was stored, means for notifying the sending device if not all of the input stream of data was stored, and means for appending a re-sent input stream of data in the memory.

34. The device of claim 25 wherein the processor further comprises: means for re-establishing communications with the receiving device if the sending of the output stream of data is interrupted, means for requesting that the receiving device scan the memory of the receiving device to determine if all of the output stream of data was stored, and means for re-sending the part of the output stream of data that was not stored by the receiving device.

35. The device of claim 25 wherein the adaptive switch includes means for placing a high impedance load on the communications line to prevent line characteristic changes when the facsimile machine is disconnected.

36. A device for monitoring and storing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line to a facsimile machine, the stream of data including command signals, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to the facsimile machine; a memory for storing the stream of data; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including: means for coupling the memory to the communications line, and means for disconnecting the facsimile machine from the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, monitoring the command signals without interrupting the stream of data to the facsimile machine, the processor including: means for determining in response to the command signals whether the stream of data is to be routed to the facsimile machine or the memory, and means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means.

37. A device for monitoring and storing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line to a facsimile machine, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to the facsimile machine; a memory for storing the stream of data; means for input of command signals; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including means for coupling the memory to the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, including: means for determining in response to the command signals whether the stream of data is to be routed to the memory, and means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means.

38. A device for monitoring and storing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line to a facsimile machine, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to the facsimile machine; a third connector coupling the device to a memory, the memory capable of storing the stream of data; means for input of command signals; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including means for coupling the memory to the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, including: means for determining in response to the command signals whether the stream of data is to be routed to the memory, and means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means.

39. A device for monitoring and storing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line to a facsimile machine, the sending device and facsimile machine communicating according to a communications protocol, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to the facsimile machine; means for input of command signals; a memory for storing the stream of data; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including: a two-way connection line coupling the first connector with the second connector, a fax spy circuit, monitoring the two-way connection line and placing a high impedance load on the two-way connection line, means for coupling the memory to the communications line, and means for disconnecting the facsimile machine from the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, monitoring the command signals, the processor including: means for determining in response to the command signals whether the stream of data is to be routed to the facsimile machine, the memory or both the facsimile machine and the memory, and means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means.

40. For use in connection with an incoming telephone line transmitting electronically represented data and a facsimile machine, a free standing data transfer device for controllably coupling the facsimile machine to the incoming telephone line, the free standing data transfer device comprising: a telephone input terminal adapted for coupling to the incoming telephone line, for receiving the electronically represented data; a modem coupled to the telephone input terminal for receiving and capturing the electronically represented data from the input telephone terminal; a processor electronically coupled to the modem for input of the captured electronically represented data from the modem; a data storage device electronically coupled to the processor for storing the electronically represented data; an output telephone terminal coupled to the input telephone terminal and adapted for coupling to the facsimile machine; a computer controller switch mechanism electronically coupled to the processor and intercoupling the input telephone terminal to the output telephone terminal; means for input of data transmission control information coupled to the processor; and means for electronically coupling the facsimile machine to the data storage device; the processor operating the computer controlled switch mechanism and the data storage device so as to cause the transmission of the electronically represented data from the input telephone terminal be sent only directly to the facsimile machine coupled to the output telephone terminal via the computer controlled switch mechanism, only directly to the data storage device via the modem and the processor or to both the facsimile machine and the data storage device, as a function of the data transmission control information; the processor controllably operating the computer controlled switch mechanism and the data storage device so as to cause the transmission of the electronically represented data, when stored in the data storage device, to be sent to the facsimile machine to be printed.

41. The free standing data transfer device of claim 40 wherein the processor further comprises means for generating a ring signal and transmitting the ring signal to the facsimile machine.

42. A stand-alone device for storing data files and communicating with a facsimile machine, the facsimile machine capable of going of -hook in response to a ring signal and capable of activating a message receive mode, the device comprising: a processor; a memory coupled to the processor storing a data file; and means, activated by the processor, for generating a ring signal and transmitting the ring signal to the facsimile machine; wherein the facsimile machine, on receiving the ring signal goes off-hook.

43. The stand-alone device of claim 42 further comprising means, activated by the processor, for generating a calling tone and transmitting the calling tone to the facsimile machine and wherein the facsimile machine, on receiving the calling tone, thereafter activates the message receive mode.

44. The stand-alone device of claim 43 wherein the calling tone is a tone of 1100 Hertz, on for 0.5 seconds and off for 3 seconds.

45. The stand-alone device of claim 43 wherein the calling tone is a CNG signal generated according to a preselected communications protocol.

46. The stand-alone device of claim 43 wherein the calling tone identifies said stand-alone device as a non- speech terminal device in sending mode.

47. The stand-alone device of claim 43 further comprising means, activated by the processor, for transmitting the data file to the facsimile machine so that the facsimile machine prints the contents of the data file .

48. The stand-alone device of claim 47 wherein the means for transmitting is activated when the facsimile machine is in the message receive mode.

49. For use in connection with an incoming telephone line transmitting electronically represented data and a facsimile machine, a free standing data transfer device for controllably coupling the facsimile machine to the incoming telephone line, the free standing data transfer device comprising: a telephone input terminal adapted for coupling to the incoming telephone line, for receiving the electronically represented data; a modem coupled to the telephone input terminal for receiving and capturing the electronically represented data from the input telephone terminal; a processor electronically coupled to the modem for- input of the captured electronically represented data from the modem; a data storage device electronically coupled to the processor for storing the electronically represented data; an output telephone terminal coupled to the input telephone terminal and adapted for coupling to the facsimile machine; a computer controller switch mechanism electronically coupled to the processor and intercoupling the input telephone terminal to the output telephone terminal; means for input of data transmission control information coupled to the processor; and means for electronically coupling the facsimile machine to the data storage device; the processor operating the computer controlled switch mechanism and the data storage device so as to cause the transmission of the electronically represented data from the input telephone terminal be sent only directly to the facsimile machine coupled to the output telephone terminal via the computer controlled switch mechanism, only directly to the data storage device via the modem and the processor or to both the facsimile machine and the data storage device, as a function of the data transmission control information; the processor operating to cause transmission of a message to the facsimile machine whenever the electronically represented data is stored in the data storage device.

50. The free standing data transfer device of claim 49 wherein the message transmitted to the facsimile machine comprises information about the electronically represented data stored in the data storage device.

51. The free standing data transfer device of claim 49 further comprising means for generating and sending a ring signal to the facsimile machine prior to transmitting the message to the facsimile machine.

52. A device for monitoring and storing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line to a facsimile machine, the sending device and facsimile machine communicating according to a communications protocol, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to the facsimile machine; means for input of command signals; a memory for storing the stream of data; an adaptive switch coupling the first connector with the second connector, the adaptive switch including: means for coupling the memory to the communications line, and means for disconnecting the facsimile machine from the communications line; and a processor, coupled to the adaptive switch, monitoring the command signals without interrupting the stream of data to the facsimile machine, the processor including: means for determining in response to the command signals whether the stream of data is to be routed to the memory, means for controlling the adaptive switch in response to the determination made by the determining means, and means for generating and sending a message to the facsimile machine if the stream of data is routed to the memory.

53. A device for receiving and routing a stream of data transmitted by a sending device across a communications line, the device comprising: a first connector coupling the device to the communications line; a second connector coupling the device to a facsimile machine; a memory for storing the stream of data; and a processor, coupled to the first connector, including: means for going off-hook in response to a ring signal transmitted across the communications line, means for receiving the stream of data, means for examining the stream of data for a header comprising routing information for the stream of data, means for coupling the first connector to the second connector and thereafter allowing the stream of data to be received by the facsimile machine if the stream of data comprises routing information that specifies the facsimile machine as a receiving device, and means for coupling the first connector to the memory and thereafter storing the stream of data in the memory if the stream of data comprises routing information that specifies the memory as a receiving devic .

54. The device of claim 53 wherein the processor further comprises: means for generating a ring signal; and means for transmitting the ring signal to the facsimile machine if the routing information specifies the facsimile machine as a receiving device.

55. A method for monitoring and storing a data stream transmitted by a sending device to a facsimile machine across a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a ring signal generated by the sending device;

(b) receiving command signals as input;

(c) receiving the data stream;

(d) examining the command signals for a command to store the data stream on a computer-accessible medium or a command to send the data stream to the facsimile machine or a command to both store the data stream and send the data stream to the facsimile machine;

(e) if the command signals include a command to store the data stream on a computer-accessible medium,

(i) disconnecting the facsimile machine, and (ii) directing the data stream to the computer- accessible medium;

(f) if the command signals include a command to send the data stream to the facsimile machine, directing the data stream to the facsimile machine; and (g) if the command signals include a command to both store the data stream and send the data stream to the facsimile machine, allowing the facsimile machine to receive the data stream and simultaneously storing the data stream on the computer-accessible medium.

56. The method of claim 55 further comprising the step of entering a wait mode.

57. The method of claim 55 further comprising the step of signaling and transmitting a message to the facsimile machine if the data stream is stored on the computer- accessible medium.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the message comprises information about the contents of the data stream.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein the message comprises information about the data stream.

60. The method of claim 55 wherein prior to step (e) (ii) , the method comprises the further step of processing a directory command sent by the sending device to create a directory on the computer-accessible medium in which to store the data stream.

61. The method of claim 55 wherein immediately after step (e) (i) , the method comprises the further step of placing a high impedance load on the communications line to prevent line characteristic changes.

62. The method of claim 55 wherein after step (e) (i) , the method comprises the steps of:

(ii) receiving a device signal from the sending device specifying a specific computer-accessible medium,

(iii) determining if the specific computer- accessible medium is available,

(iv) if available, routing the data stream to the specific computer-accessible medium, and

(v) if not available, outputing to the sending device an error message.

63. The method of claim 55 wherein the communications line is a telephone line.

64. The method of claim 55 wherein the computer- accessible medium is a disk in a disk drive.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein the disk is a hard disk.

66. The method of claim 64 wherein the disk is a floppy disk.

67. The method of claim 55 wherein the sending device is a sending facsimile machine.

68. The method of claim 55 wherein the sending device is a personal computer coupled to a modem.

69. The method of claim 55 wherein the sending device is a computer with a facsimile modem.

70. The method of claim 55 wherein the data stream includes a computer file in binary format.

71. The method of claim 55 wherein the data stream includes a computer text file.

72. The method of claim 55 wherein the facsimile machine is a computer with a facsimile modem.

73. The method of claim 55 comprising the further steps of :

(h) scanning the computer-accessible medium to determine if all of the data stream was stored;

(i) notifying the sending device if not all of the data stream was stored; and

(j) appending a re-sent data stream in the computer-accessible medium.

74. The method of claim 55 wherein the step of receiving command signals as input comprises receiving the command signals from the sending device.

75. The method of claim 55 wherein the step of receiving command signals as input comprises receiving the command signals from a user input device.

76. A method for monitoring and storing a data stream transmitted by a sending device to a facsimile machine across a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) examining the data stream for a command from the sending device to store the data stream on a computer-accessible medium; and

(b) if the data stream includes a command from the sending device to store the data stream on a computer- accessible medium,

(i) outputing a confirmation to receive signal to the sending device, and

(ii) routing the data stream to the computer- accessible medium.

77. The method of claim 76 further comprising the step of:

(c) if the data stream is stored on the computer- accessible medium,

(i) sending a ring signal to the facsimile machine, and^' (ii) sending a message to the facsimile machine for printing.

78. The method of claim 76 further comprising the step of:

(c) if the data stream does not include a command from the sending device to store the data stream on a computer-accessible medium,

(i) detecting the state of a user switch, (ii) if the user switch is set to FAXCOPY, directing the data stream to the facsimile machine, (iii) if the user switch is set to DISKCOPY,

(A) disconnecting the facsimile machine,

(B) outputing a confirmation to receive signal to the sending device, and

(C) routing the data stream to the computer-accessible medium, and

(iv) if the user switch is set to BOTH, allowing the facsimile machine to receive the data stream and simultaneously storing the data stream on the computer-accessible medium.

79. The method of claim 78 further comprising the step of:

(d) if the data stream is stored on the computer- accessible medium,

(i) sending a ring signal to the facsimile machine, and

(ii) sending a message to the facsimile machine for printing.

80. A method for monitoring and storing a data stream transmitted by a sending device to a facsimile machine across a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:

(b) if the data stream includes a command from the sending device to store the data stream on a computer- accessible medium, routing the data stream to the computer-accessible medium;

(A) disconnecting the facsimile machine, and

(B) routing the data stream to the computer-accessible medium, and

81. A method for receiving and routing a data stream transmitted by a sending device across a communications line, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) answering a ring signal transmitted across the communications line;

(b) receiving the data stream;

(c) examining the data stream for a command from the sending device to store the data stream on a computer-accessible medium or to route the data stream to a facsimile machine or both store the data stream and route the data stream to the facsimile machine;

(d) if the data stream includes a command from the sending device to store the data stream on a computer- accessible medium, routing the data stream to the computer-accessible medium;

(e) if the data stream includes a command from the sending device to route the data stream to the facsimile machine, directing the data stream to the facsimile machine;

(f) if the data stream includes a command from the sending device to both store the data stream and route the data stream to the facsimile machine, allowing the facsimile machine to receive the data stream and storing the data stream on the computer-accessible medium.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein the step of directing the data stream to the facsimile machine further comprises the steps of: generating a ring signal; and transmitting the ring signal to the facsimile machine.

83. The method of claim 81 wherein the step of directing the data stream to the facsimile machine further comprises the steps of: generating a ring signal; transmitting the ring signal to the facsimile machine; generating a calling tone; and transmitting the calling tone to the facsimile machine.

84. The method of claim 81 wherein the step of directing the data stream to the facsimile machine further comprises the step of establishing communications with the facsimile machine by engaging in the communications protocol of the facsimile machine.