EP2277303A1

EP2277303A1 - Communication device

Info

Publication number: EP2277303A1
Application number: EP09761913A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Roger
Original assignee: RTE Network
Current assignee: J2 Global IP Ltd
Priority date: 2008-05-20
Filing date: 2009-05-19
Publication date: 2011-01-26
Also published as: WO2009150362A1; FR2931607A1; US9300819B2; US20110134478A1; FR2931607B1

Abstract

The communication device (4) comprises : first communication means (3) for communicating with a first fax machine (1) in send and receive mode by way of an analogue link (2); second communication means (8) for communicating in send and receive mode with a digital communication network (27) by way of a digital link (26); means (7) for transforming an analogue signal into a digital signal; storage means (6) suitable for storing the telephone number of a remote second fax machine (33, 35) which is the addressee of a fax to be sent, and for storing a digital data file corresponding to the transformation of a fax in analogue form into a digital file by said transformation means (7); and electronic control means (5) comprising first means (10) for simulating an analogue telephone network, second means (11) for simulating said second fax machine (33, 35) ready to receive a fax, and means (12) for dispatching, via the digital communication network (27), digital data comprising said digital file corresponding to the fax.

Description

Communication device

The present invention relates to a communication device, and more particularly to a facsimile communication device.

Facsimile machines, commonly referred to as "fax", communicate via an analog communication network, commonly referred to as "switched telephone network" (PSTN). A facsimile machine transmits an analogue signal representing a document printed on paper, via an analog communication network, to another remote fax machine, which can transcribe, on paper, a copy of the document transmitted or faxed by the first fax machine.

However, with the development of I P telephony, or, in other words, digital communication networks, a problem of compatibility arises. Indeed, existing fax machines, intended to use an analog communication network, do not work with digital communication networks.

Also, an object of the invention is to enable facsimile machines initially intended to operate with an analog telecommunication network to operate with a digital communication network.

Another object of the invention is to be able to digitally archive, automatically, faxes sent or received by a fax machine. Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a communication device comprising first communication means for communicating with a first facsimile transmission and reception via an analog link, and second communication means for communicating transmission and reception with a digital communication network via a digital link. The system also comprises means for transforming an analog signal into a digital signal, and storage means adapted to store the telephone number of a second remote fax machine to which a fax is to be transmitted, and to store a file. digital data corresponding to the transformation of a facsimile in analog form into a digital file by said transformation means. In addition, the device comprises electronic control means comprising first simulation means of an analog telephone network, second simulation means of said second fax machine ready to receive a fax and sending means, by the digital communication network. , digital data comprising said digital file corresponding to the fax.

Such a device makes it possible to use, with a digital communication network, an existing fax machine, intended to operate with an analog communication network, at a reduced cost.

According to one embodiment, said digital data file sent by said sending means in the digital communication network further comprises said telephone number of said second facsimile machine. The telephone number of the second fax machine identifies the remote fax machine to which the fax is to be sent. In one embodiment, said digital data file sent by said sending means in the digital communication network further comprises an identifier representative of said device. This identifier will allow to take into account the wishes of the owner of the communication device associated with this identifier.

According to one embodiment, said control means further comprise means for receiving digital data by the digital communication network.

Thus, the device can also receive digital data, such as digital data representing a fax, or an electronic mail that can be printed as a fax.

According to one embodiment, the device further comprises third communication means for receiving, by an analog communication network, a facsimile in analog form sent by said second remote fax machine, and for transmitting said facsimile in analog form to said first facsimile machine. fax machine by said first means of communication. According to one embodiment, said third communication means are adapted for transmitting, in analog form, said received facsimile in analog form, to said means for transforming an analog signal into a digital signal and to said first communication means.

According to one embodiment, said control means further comprise encryption means digital data transmitted by said sending means.

It is thus possible to encrypt or encrypt the data sent by the communication device, and protect their content.

According to one embodiment, said encryption means are further adapted to decrypt encrypted digital data received by said receiving means. The encryption means can then also decrypt encrypted digital data received by the communication device.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a communication system comprising a device as described above, and a server connected to said digital communication network. Said sending means of the communication device are adapted to send digital data to said server. According to one embodiment, said server comprises communication means for communicating with said transmission analog communication network, and communication means for communicating with said digital communication network in transmission and reception.

According to one embodiment, said server is adapted to transmit an electronic data file to an electronic address by said digital communication network. According to one embodiment, said server comprises a database adapted to match a telephone number with at least one electronic address and / or at least one other fax telephone number and / or at least one communication device identifier.

Thus any fax sent by the communication device, can be transmitted in copy on a list of fax machines and / or on a list of electronic addresses, according to the wishes of the communication device owner linked to the fax machine sending the fax, and possibly the owner of such a device if the receiving fax machine includes one.

According to one embodiment, said database is further adapted to match an identifier representative of said device with at least one electronic address and / or at least one other fax telephone number.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, of some non-limiting examples, and with reference to the appended drawings, showing an example embodiment of a communication system comprising a device according to the invention. an aspect of the invention.

As illustrated in the figure, a fax machine 1 is connected by an analog link 2 to an analog connector 3, for example of RJIl type, a communication device 4. Of course, it is easy to imagine that the analog connector RJIl can be replaced, for example, by a conventional telephone contact. The fax machine 1 can thus transmit an analog signal representative of a fax to the communication device 4, via the analog link 2. The communication device 4 is also provided with a control module 5, a random access memory 6, for example of RAM ("Random Access Memory" in English), an analog / digital modem 7 for transforming an analog signal in a digital signal, and a digital connector, for example RJ45 type. The communication device 4 is also provided with another optional analog connector 9, for example RJIl type, which, alternatively, can be replaced by a conventional telephone contactor.

The control module 5 includes a first simulation module 10 for simulating an analog telephone network, and a second simulation module 11 for simulating a fax machine ready to receive a fax. In fact, for a fax machine transmitting a fax over an analog network, such as the PSTN network, before sending a fax, the facsimile machine must receive from the analog network an invitation to dial the number of the receiving fax machine, then an indication that a communication path is reserved between the sending and the receiving fax machine. An invitation to dial is a signal sent by the analog network to the sending facsimile machine, meaning that it can start dialing corresponding to the receiving fax machine. Then, when it is ready to receive data, the receiving fax machine transmits a signal to the transmitting fax machine indicating that it can start transmitting the fax. The control module 5 furthermore comprises a sending module 12 making it possible to transmit digital data, and a receiving module 13 making it possible to transmit receive digital data. The control module 5 also comprises an encryption module 14 making it possible to encrypt or encrypt digital data transmitted by the sending module 12. The encryption module 14 is furthermore suitable for decrypting or decrypting encrypted or encrypted digital data. received by the receiving means 13.

Analog connections 16, 17 and 18 respectively connect the analog connector 3 and the analog / digital modem 7, the analog / digital modem 7 and the analog connector 9, and the analog connector 9 and the analog connector 3. Digital links 20, 21 and 22 respectively connect the analog / digital modem 7 and the control module 5, the control module 5 and the random access memory 6, and the control module 5 and the digital connector 8.

The analog connector 9 allows, via an analog link 24, to receive analog data representing faxes transmitted via an analog network 25, and the digital connector 8 allows, via a digital link 26, to exchange data with the digital network Internet 27. A server 28, provided with a database 29 adapted to match a telephone number with at least one electronic address and / or at least one other fax telephone number, is adapted to communicate with the digital Internet network 27 via a digital link 30, and to communicate with the analog network 25 via a digital link 30, and to communicate with the analog network 25 via an analog link 31. Thus any fax sent by the Fax 1 can be sent to a list of other fax machines and / or to mailboxes automatically, for example to an email address where all faxes are saved.

In addition, the control module 5 is adapted to scan or consult at regular intervals the contents of an electronic mailbox corresponding to a predetermined e-mail address, and to transmit, by the server 28, a fax of a mail electronic received on this mailbox, through the analog network 25, to the fax machine 1.

Another fax machine 33 can be connected to the analog network by an analog link 34, and another fax machine 35 is connected to a communication device 36, similar to the communication device 4, by an analog connection 37. The communication device 36 communicates with the digital network Internet 27 by a digital link 38, and with the analog network 25 by an analog link 39. In addition, a server 40 hosting electronic mailboxes is connected to the digital network Internet 27 by a digital link 41. When the fax 1 attempts to transmit a fax to a remote fax machine, the first simulation module 10 simulates an analog telephone network, including a dialing invitation, which corresponds to a signal to the fax machine 1 that it can perform the numbering corresponding to the fax machine to which the fax must be sent, which in an analog network of RTC type allows to book a path of communication between the two fax machines for the duration of the data exchange.

In addition, the second simulation module 11 simulates the remote fax machine ready to receive the fax, by sending to the fax machine 1 a signal identical to the signal sent by the remote fax machine by the analog network of the RTC type, to indicate to the fax machine 1 that it can send the analog signal representing the fax to be transmitted. The fax machine 1 then transmits an analog signal corresponding to the fax to be sent, transmitted by the analog links 2 and 16 to the analog / digital modem 7 which converts this analog signal into a series of digital data transmitted by the digital link 20 to the data module. command 5, and stored as a digital data file in the RAM 6 via the digital link 21.

The sending module 12 then transmits the digital data file corresponding to the fax to be sent on the digital Internet network 27 via the digital links 22 and 26, to the server 28 connected to the digital network Internet 27 via the link The data file further comprises the telephone number dialed by the fax machine 1, so the server 28 can transmit on the analog network 25 an analog signal corresponding to the fax to be sent to the fax machine 33 corresponding to the telephone number attached to the file, if this telephone number does not appear in the database 29.

On the other hand, if this telephone number appears in the database 29, the server 28 can, by For example, transmitting over the digital network 27, a digital copy of the fax to the server 40 comprising an electronic mailbox corresponding to an electronic address provided by the database 29 in correspondence with the telephone number of the fax machine 33. such a fax machine may be provided with a communication device similar to the communication device 4, capable of scanning at least one electronic mailbox corresponding to an electronic address, and printing in facsimile form the digital copy of the facsimile.

The control module 5 can, in addition, attach an identifier representative of the communication device 4 to the digital data file sent by the sending module 12. This identifier number, representative of the communication device 4, allows the server 28 to manage several possible options, determined by the owner of the communication device 4, and integrated into the database 29. For example, if this identifier corresponds to one or more electronic addresses, and / or one or more telephone numbers of fax machines, and / or one or more identifiers representative of communication devices similar to the communication device 4, then the server 28 can send electronic copies of the fax to the corresponding electronic addresses, and transmit on the analog network the fax to different corresponding remote fax machines. When a remote fax machine transmits a fax to the facsimile machine 1, through the analog network 25, the analog signal representing this fax is transmitted to the communication device 4 via the analog connection 24, then to the fax machine 1 via the analog links 18 and 2. Thus, the fax machine 1 can receive a fax over the analog network 25. In addition, this fax in analog form can be transmitted to the analog / digital modem 7 by the analog link 17, so that the analog / digital modem 7 scans this fax and the control module 5, via the sending module 12, transmits an electronic version of this fax over the Internet digital network 27 to an electronic address, either directly or via the server 28, to also save the received faxes.

Moreover, thanks to the database 29, the server 28 can scan an electronic mailbox corresponding to an electronic address, linked to an identifier representative of a communication device such as 4, and, when a new electronic mail arrives in this mailbox, send a copy in analog form, through the analog network 25 to the corresponding communication device, which will transmit it to the fax machine to which it is connected.

The modules included in the control module 5 can be implemented as integrated circuits or in software form.

Thus, many benefits are offered, including the ability to use an existing fax, intended to work with a network analogue, for example a switched telephone network, with a digital network, at reduced cost.

In addition, faxes sent and received in digital form can be saved in an electronic mailbox, enabling digital archiving of faxes, or faxes received by a fax machine, even when traveling remotely. by consulting the mailbox. It is also possible, when a fax machine equipped with such a communication device receives a fax, to transfer this fax to one or more remote fax machines, or to one or more electronic addresses, automatically.

Claims

A communication device (4) comprising: first communication means (3) for communicating with a first facsimile machine (1) transmitting and receiving via an analog link (2);

second communication means (8) for transmitting and receiving with a digital communication network (27) via a digital link (26); means for transforming (7) an analog signal into a digital signal; storage means (6) adapted to store the telephone number of a second remote fax machine (33, 35) to which a fax is to be transmitted, and to store a digital data file corresponding to the transformation of a facsimile form analog to a digital file by said transformation means (7); and sending means (12), by the digital communication network (27), of digital data comprising said digital file corresponding to the facsimile, characterized in that it comprises electronic control means (5) comprising first simulation means (10) of an analog telephone network and second simulation means (11) of said second facsimile machine (33, 35) ready to receive a facsimile.

2. Di spo sitivesel the dream ndi cat i on 1, characterized in that said digital data file sent by said sending means (12) in the network of digital communication (27) further comprises said telephone number of said second facsimile machine (33, 35).

3. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said digital data file sent by said sending means (12) in the digital communication network (27) further comprises an identifier representative of said device (4).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means (5) further comprises digital data receiving means (13) by the digital communication network (27). .

5. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises third communication means (9, 24) for receiving, via an analog communication network (25). ), a facsimile in analog form sent by said second remote fax machine (33, 35) and for transmitting said facsimile in analog form to said first facsimile machine (1) by said first communication means (3).

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said third communication means (9, 24, 17, 18) are adapted for transmitting, in analogue form, said facsimile received in analog form, to said transformation means (7). an analog signal in digital signal and said first communication means (3).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means (5) further comprise means (14) for encrypting the digital data transmitted by said sending means (12).

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said encryption means (14) are further adapted to decrypt encrypted digital data received by said receiving means (13).

Communication system comprising a device (4) according to one of the claims

1 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises a server (28) connected to said digital communication network (27), said sending means (12) of the communication device (4) being adapted to send digital data auditing server (28).

10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that said server (28) comprises communication means for communicating with said analog communication network (25) in transmission, and communication means for communicating with said digital communication network ( 27) in transmission and reception.

11. System according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said server (28) is adapted to transmit an electronic data file to an electronic address by said digital communication network (27).

12. System according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that said server (28) comprises a database (29) adapted to match a telephone number with at least one electronic address and / or at least one other facsimile telephone number and / or at least one communication device identifier (4, 36).

13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that said database (29) is further adapted to match an identifier representative of said device with at least one electronic address and / or at least one other telephone number. fax.