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Description  |
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Background of the Invention
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a graphic retrieval capability for existing CCITT
Group 3 and 4 FAX transceivers by the use of a novel interactive shared
FAX retrieval server (hereinafter referred to as "FAX server"). FAX
transceivers follow a common set of CCITT international standards.
Adherence to these standards and protocols allows FAX transceivers from
different manufactures to effectively intercommunicate. The present
invention relates to the interactive use of an unmodified FAX transceiver
serving both as an inquiry terminal and as an output device for the
retrieval of pages either stored or created remotely. In particular this
invention provides an inquiry process that uses a pencil and paper input
form to allow rapid retrieval of information and uses any existing CCITT
FAX transceiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A FAX is often used for manual information retrieval today in business. A
voice telephone call, or a facsimile request, is made to a clerk who then
sends the requested pages to the caller by FAX. Sometimes trade magazine
advertisements list a dedicated voice telephone number to encourage
inquires where the caller is asked to supply their FAX number so that
requested material can be returned by FAX. The fastest return speed
currently promised in the literature is "less than one hour." Graphic
information retrieval for large data bases, using a CRT display is often
used in the prior art. Information is selected interactively using a full
keyboard and a CRT display. When the desired information is found, a
printed copy is then made. The copy is then either sent by FAX or by mail.
Perhaps the closest relevant art to the present invention is that of a FAX
transceiver using passwords and operating in a polling mode. With password
operation for polling, the FAX transceiver with text to be sent can be set
to require, prior to reception, a pre-agreed four digit numeric
"password". The four digit privacy polling key, or password, is generally
entered via a keyboard on the FAX transceiver. However, as a practical
matter, this is a highly constrained approach and not used in practice in
this manner as a selective retrieval mechanism.
The general avoidance of highly constrained keyboard selection to
facilitate system use by untrained potential users is advantageous. A
pencil and paper input selection means would allow widespread access to
all users. In particular, users that cannot, or prefer not to, use a
computer keyboard would be provided access to such a system. By allowing a
pencil, or a similar marking device, and paper retrieval selector input
device, use of the system would be available even without training, to
open new interactive FAX retrieval applications that would serve the
broadest possible base of potential users. Since there is a large
population of FAX transceivers in service today, each becomes a candidate
for use as a retrieval terminal when used with the desired FAX server
described above. Another improvement over the existing art that is
advantageous would be the ability of the system to return information
sought immediately upon request, perhaps even during the requestor's
telephone call. This would allow minimization of the telephone tolls paid
by the FAX server and would permit supporting applications where the user
pays for the cost of delivery of the requested copies. The present
invention provides such a system.
Summary of the Invention
CCITT FAX transceivers communicate with other FAX transceivers via the
public switched telephone network. In the present invention, connection is
made from any FAX transceiver to a remote FAX server. Via a FAX
transceiver, the user transmits an appropriately filled in selector sheet.
The marked areas on the selector sheet are machine read and interpreted by
the reception unit of a FAX server to determine what information is being
sought by the user.
In one mode of operation, this is done prior to the FAX transceiver's
"time-out", so that the designated information is returned to the
requestor during the user's initiated telephone call. To do so
preferentially requires that the FAX transceiver contain a turn-around
polling option, and that very rapid processing take place within the FAX
server, immediately upon receipt of the selector sheet. In this mode, the
marked areas on the selector sheet are analyzed and selection of the
desired pages made and returned prior to the time-out limitation present
in the CCITT T.30 Recommendation.
The invention teaches that the use of transmitted patterns relatively
insensitive to positional alignment, plus proper handshaking, facilitates
machine recognition of markings of an incoming selector sheet to allow the
server to return the materials requested to the caller quickly. While in
one mode it is assumed that the FAX transceiver has a turn-around polling
feature, it is also necessary to serve all other FAX transceivers as well,
including those that lack any polling capability and even those that lack
calling subscriber identification--an internal telephone number identifier
that can be sent during the FAX transceiver's call set up.
The FAX server of the present invention is designed to support all FAX
transceivers that meet minimum CCITT standards regardless of any optional
features that they lack. In the T.30 Recommendation the calling FAX
transceiver "wakes up" the called FAX unit. The called FAX unit replies
with a list of the internal features, or facilities, that it supports. The
calling FAX transceiver then makes its decision as to feature choices. The
calling FAX transceiver can be viewed as the master and the called machine
as the slave.
In the present invention, intelligence is concentrated at the FAX server,
while the FAX transceivers are relatively "dumb" devices. As the called
FAX server does not directly learn about the capabilities of the calling
FAX transceiver, this is done by inference. For example, if the calling
FAX transceiver does not attempt to poll, then the FAX server of the
present invention assumes that the calling FAX transceiver lacks polling
capability. In the present invention, a number of different options are
inferred about the calling FAX transceiver (e.g. whether the calling FAX
transceiver has turn-around polling; simple polling; or no polling at
all). The FAX server's response can be different in each case.
Some, but not all, FAX transceivers contain an internal telephone number
identification described in CCITT Recommendation T.30 which should
correspond to the international telephone number of the FAX transceiver,
including country code. In practice, the U.S. country code is rarely used.
Sometimes even the area code is missing. And, usually the long distance
dialing prefix ("1") is also missing. In some cases that have been
encountered, the wrong telephone number is found, and in others a
telephone number was never entered. A FAX transceiver with turn-around
polling, combined with a FAX server with rapid machine reading of the
selector sheet and processing provides a sufficiently short turn-around
time to permit delivery of the information sought on the same telephone
call.
But if the FAX transceiver has only simple polling (i.e. it can either
transmit, or receive on a single call, but not both), an alternative
approach is used. If the FAX server seeks to have the user alone pay for
the telephone calls, then two calls by the calling FAX transceiver are
required. During the first call, the user transmits a selector sheet that
designates the information requested. During the second call by the user,
in the simple polling mode, the FAX server returns the material requested.
There are ways that the two calls can be logically related automatically.
The internal telephone number in the FAX transceiver could be used to
associate the two calls received within a short time window.
Alternatively, the FAX server can call back the FAX transceiver's internal
telephone number. Another fallback alternative is to require FAX
transceivers that lack a valid internal telephone number to put their
actual telephone number onto the selector sheet. The CCITT Recommendation
T.30 calls for a 20 decimal digit number corresponding to the
international telephone number of the FAX transceiver to be entered into
the FAX transceiver by the user at the time of installation. That
telephone number must be converted into a locally usable format by the FAX
server before it can be used in a call-back mode.
There is one further potential complication. Since the present invention
seeks to serve all potential users, even those without prior access to a
selector sheet or instructions, the FAX server of the present invention
will also respond to the transmission of a blank sheet of paper in lieu of
a selector sheet as a request for initial help. The response of the FAX
server to a blank sheet is to send the assumed novice user a "starter kit"
consisting of a selector sheet and simple instructions. Additional copies
of the selector sheet can be made on an office copier. Sometimes, it will
be necessary to get the starter kit to the user without relying upon the
FAX transceiver's internal telephone number (i.e. the user has only a low
cost FAX transceiver with minimal capabilities and lacks an internal
telephone number capability).
To handle this case, the present invention uses touch-tone telephone
transmission, reception and detection of the standard dual frequency tones
used by telephone systems for dialing. Such telephone dialing detection is
distinct from the FAX process and protocols. Another embodiment of the
present invention allows the FAX server to use the same telephone number
for both FAX and voice telephone inquiry. To accomplish this when an
incoming call is received by the FAX server, the connection is first made
to the FAX modem. If the transmission came from an automatic transmission
FAX transceiver, its handshaking would start by transmitting a calling
tone (CNG--this is an 1100 Hz tone transmitted with a period of 0.5
seconds on and three seconds off). If a time interval of longer than three
seconds is observed without the presence of the 1100 Hz tone, the FAX
server then assumes that the incoming call is either a voice call or a
manually operated FAX transceiver. When a CNG tone is detected, the FAX
modem is engaged. If no calling tone is detected, a DTMF (dual tone
multiple frequency) detector is connected to receive touch-tone signals
and a pre-recorded or digitized voice message transmits instructions to
the FAX transceiver's user.
For example, these instructions advise a user of a manual transmitting FAX
transceiver to press a touch-tone dial key "1". The FAX server's modem is
then connected and then transmits the CED (called station identification
signal, a 2100 Hz tone). If the "1" key is not pressed, it is then assumed
that a voice telephone call is underway, and instructions are then
provided to the user as to how to use the system. The user is then advised
by a a voice message to enter their FAX transceiver's telephone number via
the touch-tone keypad on their telephone. Specific pages can be recalled
by this arrangement as well.
The touch-tone approach is primarily advantageous in the first iteration of
an interactive series and less so in later iterations since the initial
user would additionally be sent a selector sheet and instructions via
their FAX transceiver. Each such selector sheet sent by the FAX server
would have the telephone number of the user's FAX transceiver
pre-imprinted thereon, in machine readable format. This then obviates the
need for more than one touch-tone call in this manner. Most FAX
transceivers come equipped with a telephone attached that could be used
for this application.
A possible alternative to touch-tone dialing is the use of speaker
independent voice recognition. For example Texas Instruments publication
SPRN 036p. 7, Feb. 1989 describes the SRS-1 chip for speaker independent
recognition of a 12 word vocabulary, adequate to recognize all digits from
0 to 9 plus two separators. One retrieval application that has been
encountered requires periodic retrieval of the same page but updated in
time, such as a wheather report. In that case the 20 digits reserved for
the FAX transceiver number are replaced by a 10 digit telephone number and
a 10 digit number describing the specific set of pages desired. The FAX
server thus separates the two components to identify the information
desired and the telephone number of the FAX transceiver that is to receive
the information.
The above techniques in various combinations achieve information retrieval
process conducted entirely without manual intervention. This in turn
allows every ordinary FAX transceiver to become an interactive data
terminal. The requested information is returned during the same telephone
call, or during an immediately subsequent call. If desired, the major
communications costs can be borne solely by the calling party to allow
significant new high volume business applications to become economically
viable.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one of a plurality of FAX transceivers
connected to a single FAX server of the present invention for information
retrieval.
FIGS. 2a-2e are pictorial representations of several selector sheets which
could be used to select information to be retrieved from the FAX server of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 2f is a pictorial representation of a frame input selector sheet for
adding data to the stored data base of the FAX server of the present
invention.
FIG. 2g is a pictorial representation of a follow-up selector sheet
provided to the user as the last page in the material provided to use the
present invention for advertiser follow-up.
FIG. 3 is a simplified flow chart of the process of retrieving pages of
information from the system of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the functioning of an example of a
machine readable interpretation of a user entered selector sheet.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart of an example of a machine readable interpretation
of a selector sheet of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the options by which the FAX server determines
the "address" for all FAX transceivers found in practice.
FIGS. 7a-7b is a flow chart showing the process to determine and respond to
the different FAX transceivers as a subset of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a physical configuration of the hardware units
comprising the server of the present invention.
FIGS. 9a-9c show a series of shortened selector sheets for use with the
present invention.
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram that illustrations the operation of the present
invention in another mode of operation.
FIGS. 11a-11b are a flow chart of the use of touch-tone/andio recognition
as a method of selection and user identification.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Throughout the following discussion numerous abbreviations of standard
facsimile terms are used. Table I provides a definition of those terms.
TABLE I
______________________________________
ABBREVIATION SUMMARY
______________________________________
CCITT = Consultive Committee for
International Telegraphy and
Telephone
Server Unit Sends:
CED = Called Station Identification
DIS = Digtal Identification Signal
Server Unit Receives:
DCS = Digital Command Signal
TRAINING = Signal Used to Set Modem Para-
meters
Server Unit Sends:
CFR = Confirmation to Receive
DTC = Digital Transmit Command
CIG = Calling Subscriber Identification
CSI = Called Subscriber Identification
______________________________________
Simplified Block Diagram
Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown three major blocks in an overall system
block diagram: a FAX transceiver 10; a telco switch 12; and a shared FAX
server 20. FAX transceiver 10 is representative of conventional FAX
transceivers and is provided for the requester to request and receive
copies of selected information that is prestored in a shared FAX server
20. In a multiline environment, typical of the present invention, the
telco switch 12 (telephone company switching equipment) interconnects one
or more FAX transceivers 10 via lines 14a-14c to a plurality of input
lines 16a-16c of FAX server 20. The multiple line system is the most
efficient application for the present invention, however, the concept is
equally applicable to a single line system.
The typical FAX transceiver 10, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a scanner 32
for reading a document 30 and formatting the information therefrom in a
graphical electronic format, pixel by pixel, line by line. The graphically
formatted signal is then transferred from scanner 32 to data compressor 34
before being applied to modem 36 for transmission to telco switch 12 and
server 20. Modem 36 also functions to receive a signal from server 20 via
telco switch 12. The received signal is transferred from modem 36 to data
decompressor 38 where the received signal is decompressed before being
transferred to printer 40. Printer 40 in turn converts the electronic
signal received by it to a format for printing the data encoded in the
electronic signal on media 42.
FIG. 1 further shows that shared FAX server 20 includes modems 22a-22c
which communicate with lines 16a-16c of telco switch 12. Internally, each
of modems 22a-22c is connected to transfer the incoming signal to the
machine reading (mark sense/OCR) system 24. The output signal from the
machine readable system 24 is then coupled to data selector 26 where the
addresses for the desired information are decoded. The decoded addresses
are then coupled to disk memory 28 where the desired data has been
previously stored in compressed form by known techniques. The selected
data is then transferred from disk memory 28, to the appropriate modem
22a-22c from which the information was requested, for transmission to the
requester via the associated line 16a-16c.
The FAX transceiver 10 optically scans each page to be transmitted,
converting the input raster image into a compressed format as described in
CCITT Recommendation T.4 for the Group 3 FAX transceivers, and
Recommendation T.5 for the Group 4 FAX transceivers. The digital output
signal modulates a CCITT V.29 modem 36, which operates at
9600/7200/4800/2400 bits per second, depending upon the line quality
encountered during the call. The standard V.29 modem used in facsimile
systems is a half duplex device. Signals are first sent in one direction
between the facsimile transceiver and the server 20. Alternatingly, this
direction of data flow is reversed to allow reception of "hand shaking",
or coordinating signals, and thence image transmission in accordance with
the T.30 Recommendation.
Images are sent in T.4 Recommendation compressed format, so that it is
necessary to expand the image into a full raster for printing at the FAX
transceiver 10. The FAX server 20 is shown interfacing with a bank of V.29
modems 22a-22c to simultaneously support multiple FAX transceivers 10.
However, only a single modem is required for single line operation. (In
the case of Group 4 machines, this termination could occur at 64
Kilobit/sec or other speeds.) A shared machine reading system 24 operates
upon the received signals, senses the markings on a selector sheet
electronically from a bit map of the selector sheet, and interprets the
user markings on each selector sheet page (discussed more completely
below). The value of these markings are translated into data commands to
determine the locations of the stored data to be retrieved and sent to the
calling FAX transceiver 10. In the interest of data storage economy, this
information is preserved in compressed format, and need not be expanded at
the time of transmission.
Selector Sheets
FIGS. 2a-2e show examples of selector sheet formats that may be used in
various versions of the present invention. FIG. 2a shows a sample
advertisement 44 from a trade magazine with an information retrieval
number encoded in a bar code 46 which is printed therewith. Additionally,
space 58 is provided for the requestor to enter a name and address for the
advertiser to follow-up, if they so choose. Each of FIGS. 2b-2e shows a
different selector sheet format each containing a number of fields. Those
fields may be marked by pencil, pen or similar marking deviccs.
If a reader wishes to obtain more information on a product advertised in a
trade magazine wherein the advertisement 44 includes the information
retrieval number encoded in the form of a bar code 46 as in FIG. 2a, the
reader simply removes the advertisement, or advertisements, of interest,
completes the name and address fields 58 below the bar code 46, calls the
information retrieval number provided in the magazine, and transmits at
least the bar code portions of each of the advertisements of interest via
a FAX transceiver 10. FAX server 20 then decodes the bar codes and
transmits a copy of the information stored in memory 28 to the reader's
FAX transceiver 10. In lieu of a bar code, it is possible to mechanically
read and recognize an entire advertisement to indicate the information
desired without the necessity of a bar code label.
In FIG. 2b selector sheet 54 allows abbreviated requests for products
advertised in trade magazines, pre-numbered governmental forms, etc. The
reader fills in an address field 58 and marks by hand printed characters
up to three retrieval numbers of products, or forms, of interest, and the
telephone number of the requestor's FAX transceiver if it lacks
turn-around polling. These numbers can be reliably interpreted by FAX
server 20, provided the characters are constrained to follow the back
ground pattern guide printed as shown on selector sheet 54.
Recognition of the markings by FAX server 20 must be done with an
occasional expectation of poorly formed markings. In FIG. 2c-2e, marking
blocks with a series of fiduciary position indicators 56 are used to
provide some immunity to errors that might otherwise be caused by minor
skewing of the selector sheet or by minor size changes of the array when
users duplicate the selector sheets on office copiers.
Other machine readable arrangements, such as those using Fourier
Transformation character recognition schemes, to avoid position dependence
can also be used. The only constraint is the efficacy of the machine
reading character recognition algorithms for poorly formed and transmitted
indicia. The interactive nature of the process allows correction of errors
by informing the caller that the input was ambiguous or unreadable.
The selector sheets illustrated in FIGS. 2c and 2d are electronic versions
of the "bingo" postal cards 48, bound into magazines. These cards 48 allow
abbreviated requests for products advertised in the magazines with the
only difference between them being the addition of field 60 in FIG. 2d for
the optional inclusion of the sender's FAX number when turn-around polling
is not a feature of the sender's FAX transceiver. To use either of the
cards of FIGS. 2c and 2d, the reader fills in address field 58, shades in
the squares 62 on the card corresponding to the retrieval numbers found in
the product advertisements of interest, and optionally shades in squares
60 for the sender's FAX transceiver number. The card is then transmitted
as discussed above in relation to FIG. 2a. To enter the telephone number,
one square in each column in the appropriate row is to be filled in. In
FIG. 2d the number 987/654-3210 is entered by way of example. Similarly,
field 62 is for the entry of a plurality of "bingo" numbers, as shown in
FIGS. 2c and 2d the numbers 0-139 may be selected from. By way of example,
the numbers 3, 16, 22, 25, 44, 59, 60, 61, 87, 101, 127 and 133 have been
selected in FIG. 2d.
Referring next to FIG. 2e there is shown another selector sheet format.
This selector sheet includes three fields: the name and address field 58,
and the optional FAX transceiver telephone number field 60 (both of which
were discussed above), and field 64 for the entry of a plurality of
selected retrieval numerals. Field 64 is shown as having three sub-fields,
64a-64c. Each of the sub-fields is capable of displaying a number from
0-9999. By way of example, sub-field 64a is encoded with the numeral
7,451.
FIG. 2f shows a representative cover sheet to be used by the owner, or an
advertiser, to add/remove/modify information to or in the data base stored
on disk 28 of FAX server 20 by means of a FAX transceiver. The form
includes three fields. Field 67 is for the manual entry of information to
identify the advertiser. Field 68 is an informational field to identify
the information needed to be entered into each of sub-fields 66a-66f.
Sub-fields 66a-66e are completed as was described above for sub-fields
66a-66c of FIG. 2e. In sub-field 66a the starting address in the memory of
disk 28 where the data is, or is to be, stored is entered. Sub-field 66b
is where the information retrieval number (bingo number) of that
information is entered. Sub-field 66c is for the entry of a page count of
the number of pages that are included, or to be included, in the memory
for that retrieval number. The number to be entered in sub-field 66d is a
password number for access to read any pages already stored at the
selected address location, and the number to be entered in sub-field 66e
is a second password number that will allow the user to read into and
write out of the selected memory address. Finally, sub-field 66f is
provided to select the function that the user wishes to perform: to add,
remove or modify pages to, from or in the memory; or to designate a page
as a front or back cover page.
Once the input form of FIG. 2f is completed, it is placed on top of the
pages to be added to, or modified in, the data base, the stack of pages
are transmitted via a FAX transceiver 10 to FAX server 20. If pages are to
be removed, then the form of FIG. 2f is transmitted, as above, alone. The
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