Mobile Phone Fax Reception via Software Conferencing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fax messaging services require a separate direct inward dialing (DID) telephone number for each subscriber, which is administratively burdensome and necessitates remembering and distributing additional phone numbers, complicating the process of receiving fax messages.
Innovation Solution
Enabling fax messages to be sent directly to a mobile phone's telephone number, eliminating the need for a separate DID number by using a software program on the mobile phone to detect fax transmissions, confer them with a fax server, and convert them into viewable formats, thereby simplifying the receipt of fax messages and reducing administrative burdens on service providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate DID telephone number is assigned to each subscriber for receiving fax messages, then fax messaging service functionality is provided, but administrative burden increases and complexity of managing multiple phone numbers arises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fax reception function with the mobile phone's existing telephone number, eliminating the need for separate DID numbers. The mobile phone handles both voice calls and fax transmissions using its primary number, merging previously separate communication functions into a single unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile phone is designed to perform multiple functions including both voice communication and fax reception using the same telephone number. The system allows the mobile phone to universally handle different types of incoming transmissions (voice or fax) without requiring separate dedicated numbers for each function.
2Reliability
If a separate DID telephone number is assigned to each subscriber, then fax transmissions can be received, but the process of remembering and distributing additional phone numbers becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fax reception number with the subscriber's existing mobile phone number, so users only need to remember and share one number for both voice and fax communications, eliminating the administrative burden of managing separate DID numbers.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile phone automatically detects and handles incoming fax transmissions using its existing number, eliminating the need for users to manually configure or distribute separate fax numbers. The system self-manages the dual functionality without additional user effort.
3Reliability
If traditional fax messaging services are used with dedicated fax machines and DID numbers, then secure message delivery is achieved, but flexibility and ease of use are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables mobile phones to universally handle both voice calls and fax transmissions using the same device and number, providing subscribers with flexible access to fax messaging through their existing mobile devices without requiring dedicated fax machines or separate numbers.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile phone acts as an intermediary device that can receive both voice and fax transmissions through its single telephone number, mediating between the traditional fax network and the user's mobile device to provide flexible access to fax messaging services.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatus are described for receiving a fax transmission at a mobile phone. In one embodiment, the mobile phone receives an incoming call and answers the incoming call, upon receiving a command from a user of the mobile phone to answer the incoming call. A program on the mobile phone then detects that the incoming call is a fax transmission, and then places an outgoing call to a fax server. The program on the mobile phone then conferences the incoming call with the outgoing call to the fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.