Relay Apparatus for Facsimile Transmission Across Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a relay apparatus that can facilitate facsimile communication between terminal devices without built-in facsimile transmission capabilities and external devices, while also generating communication result information and management reports across private and public networks.
Innovation Solution
A relay apparatus with a reception section for receiving facsimile transmission instructions and identification information, a facsimile communication section for performing facsimile transmission over a public network, and a generation section for creating communication result information, which connects terminal devices via a private network to external devices with facsimile capabilities, and generates communication management reports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If terminal devices without built-in facsimile transmission capabilities are to communicate via facsimile, then facsimile communication functionality is extended to terminal devices, but the terminal devices themselves cannot perform facsimile transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The relay apparatus serves as an intermediary between terminal devices and the facsimile network. The reception section receives transmission requests from terminal devices, the facsimile communication section performs actual facsimile transmission via the public network, and the generation section provides communication results back to terminals, enabling facsimile communication without adding functionality to terminal devices
Solution Approach 2:
The relay apparatus consolidates multiple functions (reception of transmission requests, facsimile communication, result generation and notification) into a single multi-functional device that serves all terminal devices in the private network, making the system universally applicable to various terminal types
2Loss of information
If communication result information is to be provided to each terminal device, then communication transparency and user awareness are improved, but the relay apparatus must track and manage information for multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The generation section divides communication result information into separate pieces, each associated with a specific terminal device's identification information. This segmentation allows the relay apparatus to manage and notify each terminal of its specific communication results independently, preventing information loss while maintaining organized management
3Adaptability or versatility
If the relay apparatus performs facsimile transmission via public network, then terminal devices can communicate externally, but the relay apparatus becomes a single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The relay apparatus acts as a protected intermediary that isolates terminal devices from direct exposure to the public network's reliability issues. By centralizing the public network interface in a dedicated relay device with backup capabilities, the system achieves external communication capability while managing reliability risks through centralized control and potential redundancy
Data Source
AI summary
A relay apparatus includes a reception section, a facsimile communication section, and a generation section. From terminal apparatuses having no facsimile transmission functions, the reception section receives facsimile transmission instructions along with pieces of identification information of the terminal apparatuses via a private network. The facsimile communication section performs facsimile transmission via a public network to the outside on the basis of the facsimile transmission instructions received by the reception section. The generation section generates pieces of communication result information about facsimile transmission for the respective pieces of identification information corresponding to the terminal apparatuses when the facsimile communication section performs the facsimile transmission to the outside.