IP Fax Session Management for Simultaneous Transmission and Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional IP facsimile machines face issues where all sessions can be occupied by fax transmission, preventing simultaneous fax reception, even when sessions are set to receive-only, which is problematic for businesses receiving frequent orders.
Innovation Solution
A communication apparatus that acquires the number of available receive-only sessions and secures sessions for fax reception by starting fax transmission using unoccupied sessions, ensuring that at least the set receive-only sessions are available for reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If both sessions are set to receive-only to enable fax reception during inbound calls, then fax reception capability is improved, but fax transmission is completely disabled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts session configurations based on real-time communication needs. Instead of fixed receive-only settings, the system can change session states from receive-only to transmit-capable when needed, allowing the facsimile device to adapt between reception and transmission modes as circumstances require
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of sessions based on detected conditions. When an unoccupied session is available, the system modifies the receive-only parameter setting to enable transmission, thereby changing the session's functional state to resolve the contradiction between reception reliability and transmission capability
2Device complexity
If a single session is used for both transmission and reception, then device simplicity is maintained, but simultaneous fax reception during transmission is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication functionality into multiple sessions, where each session can be independently configured. This segmentation allows one session to handle transmission while another handles reception simultaneously, resolving the limitation of single-session devices without requiring complex hardware modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables sessions to serve multiple functions dynamically. A session configured as receive-only can be utilized for reception purposes, but when unoccupied, can also perform transmission functions, making the session universally applicable for both transmission and reception based on real-time needs
3Reliability
If transmit-disable setting is applied to a line to enable receive-only mode, then fax reception is enabled, but all lines may become occupied by transmission on other lines
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically monitors the occupancy status of all sessions and adjusts their functional states accordingly. When a receive-only session becomes unoccupied, the system detects this state change and enables transmission capability, creating a dynamic balance between reception reliability and overall communication productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages session allocation and configuration without external intervention. It self-monitors session availability and self-adjusts the operational mode of receive-only sessions based on their occupancy status, eliminating the need for manual line-by-line transmit-disable settings while maintaining reception availability
Data Source
AI summary
A communication apparatus that avoids a situation in which all sessions are occupied by fax transmission. The communication apparatus is capable of conducting fax communications via an IP network using a plurality of sessions. An acquisition unit acquires a receive session count which indicates the number of sessions set to be used exclusively for fax reception when the plurality of sessions include any unoccupied session which is a session available for fax communications. A transmission starting unit determines whether or not sessions corresponding in number to the receive session count acquired by the acquisition unit are able to be secured as the receive sessions, and start fax transmission using the unoccupied session if the sessions are able to be secured.