KR20060101070A - Real time internet fax apparatus for voice message communication and the method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a real-time Internet fax apparatus capable of voice message communication, and a method thereof. The real-time Internet fax apparatus according to the present invention is encoded by opening a communication channel of a voice message in any one of an encoding unit for encoding a voice message into a packetized digital signal, a transmission / reception session for fax data, or a transmission / reception session for voice data. It includes a voice message unit for transmitting a voice message in real time. According to the present invention, the receiver can distinguish the sender by voice, can easily grasp the sender's purpose and purpose of fax transmission, and can listen to the received voice message repeatedly.

Description

Real time internet fax apparatus for voice message communication and the method therefor}

1 is a block diagram of a real-time Internet fax apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a voice message transmission method in a voice message communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a voice message receiving method in the voice message communication method of FIG.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a voice message checking method in the voice message communication method of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating step by step communication between the sending real-time Internet fax device and the receiving real-time Internet fax device in the voice message communication method of FIG.

The present invention relates to a real-time Internet fax, and more particularly to a real-time Internet fax apparatus and method capable of voice message communication.

In general, Internet fax is a service for transmitting fax data over the Internet. The technology of sending data in the form of packets to send faxes allows ordinary fax machines to work together over a packet network.

Fax over IP (FoIP) -based Internet fax transmits faxes over a packet network such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network instead of a public switched telephone network (PSTN). FoIP-based Internet fax extracts fax data from analog signal and transmits it as digital signal through packet network.

There are two ways to send a fax over a packet network. One is "storage and transfer" and the other is "real time transfer". The main difference between these two methods is the delivery method and the acknowledgment method.

E-mail Internet fax in the "storage and forwarding" method uses T.37 as the fax transmission standard, and real-time Internet fax in the "real time transmission" method uses the T.38 as the fax transmission standard.

FoIP-based Internet fax uses protocols such as H.323 and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

H.323 is a terminal protocol for voice / video / data communication in a local area network (LAN) where quality of service is not guaranteed. H.323's communications networks are Ethernet, 100M Ethernet, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), and Token Ring.

H.323 also defines channels for data sharing, such as file transfers and whiteboards, and is widely adopted in Internet telephony services and products. H.261 and H.263 are adopted as H.323 moving picture coding methods, and G.711, G.722, G.723.1, G.728, G.729 and MPEG are used as H.323 audio coding methods. 1 audio.

 SIP is a protocol that controls general telephone service calls to connect telephones using an IP network. SIP is an application layer control protocol of the OSI basic reference model that can set up, change, and terminate multimedia session layers or calls.

However, the conventional FOIP-based real-time Internet fax has a problem that there is only a function for transmitting and receiving voice calls and fax data in real time, and there is no function for transmitting a voice message.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a voice message by opening a communication channel of a voice message in one of a session for transmitting and receiving fax data or a session for transmitting and receiving voice data in an Internet fax machine that transmits and receives fax data in real time through a packet network. The present invention provides a real-time Internet fax apparatus and method capable of voice message communication by transmitting in real time.

The real-time Internet fax apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, any one of an encoding unit for encoding a voice message into a packetized digital signal, a transmission and reception session of the fax data or a transmission and reception session of the voice data And a voice message unit configured to open a communication channel of the voice message in a session of and transmit the encoded voice message in real time.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voice message communication method of a real-time Internet fax apparatus, the method including encoding a voice message into a packetized digital signal, transmitting / receiving a session of fax data, or Opening a communication channel of a voice message in any one of a transmission / reception session and transmitting the encoded voice message in real time to the open communication channel.

The real-time Internet fax apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is a FoIP (Fax over Internet Protocol) based real-time Internet fax apparatus T.38 as a fax transmission standard.

FoIP is a fax transmission over a packet network such as an IP (FInternet Protocol) network instead of a public switched telephone network (PSTN). Technically, FoIP has many similarities with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

VoIP-based call control protocols include the H.323 protocol and the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The functions include setup of a call, modification of a call, termination of a call, Capability indication, negotiation, routing, etc. are performed.

The H.323 protocol is an umbrella protocol that describes systems and component technologies and call models and includes H.225.0 and H.245. H.225.0 provides call signaling and H.245 provides media capability exchanging.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a real-time Internet fax apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The real-time Internet fax apparatus includes a CPU 110, a memory unit 115, a scanner unit 120, a print unit 125, a PC connection unit 130, a user interface 133, a pixel conversion unit 135, and a network interface unit. 140, an internet fax unit 145, a microphone 150, a voice encoding / decoding unit 155, a voice message unit 160, and a speaker 165.

The CPU 110 controls and manages all modules of the real-time Internet fax apparatus. The memory unit 115 stores a program for controlling a real-time Internet fax apparatus, various user information, a fax document, and a voice message. The scanner unit 120 scans the fax document to be transmitted and converts the digital document into digital data. The print unit 125 outputs the received fax document.

The PC connection unit 130 connects the real-time Internet fax device to the PC so that the real-time Internet fax device can transmit and receive data with the PC and provide functions such as PC printing and PC scanning.

The user interface unit 133 allows a user to select an Internet fax function and a voice message transmission function, and input or store the address of the receiving real-time Internet fax device.

In addition, the user interface unit 133 displays reception of a fax document and reception of a voice message, and allows a user to select a function of confirming a stored voice message and deleting a stored voice message.

The pixel converter 135 encodes the scanned fax document in accordance with the fax protocol. The network interface unit 140 connects the real-time Internet fax device to the Internet. The Internet fax unit 145 converts the existing fax protocol into the Internet fax protocol so that the encoded data can be transmitted to the Internet through the network interface unit 140.

The microphone 150 receives a voice signal. The speaker 153 outputs a voice signal. The voice encoding / decoding unit 155 is a Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) codec (COder / DECoder: CODEC), packetization / to smoothly store and process the voice signal input through the microphone 150. And a depacketizer (Packetizer / Depacketizer).

The PCM codec converts an input voice signal into a digital signal or converts a digital signal into an analog signal. The packetization / depacketization unit packetizes the digital signal or depackets the packetized signal.

The voice message unit 160 performs control for transmission and reception of voice messages. The voice message unit 160 opens the communication channel of the voice message in the transmission and reception session of the fax data. The voice message unit 160 transmits and receives an encoded voice message in real time through a communication channel of an open voice message.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a voice message transmission method in a voice message communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the sender selects the Internet fax function through the user interface 133 (S210). Then, the sender inputs the address of the receiving real-time Internet fax machine through the user interface unit 133 (S220).

The CPU 110 attempts to connect a call with the receiving real-time Internet fax machine based on the input address (S230). The CPU 110 retries the call connection a certain number of times when the call connection fails, and nevertheless processes an error if the call connection still fails.

If the call connection is successful, the CPU 110 establishes a voice data transmission / reception session with the receiving real-time Internet fax machine and opens a voice channel for voice communication (S240). The voice data transmission / reception session means a voice session. In this session, a telephone call is made between the sending user and the receiving user through a voice channel.

Upon completing the voice communication, the CPU 110 converts the voice communication mode to the fax communication mode. The CPU 110 establishes a fax data transmission / reception session with the receiving real-time Internet fax apparatus and opens a fax channel to perform fax communication (S250). A fax data transmission session means a T.38 session. In this session, the fax document is sent over the fax channel.

If the sender does not want voice communication or there is no receiver of the receiving real-time Internet fax machine and cannot perform voice communication, the sender may omit the voice communication and immediately transmit the fax document by fax communication.

When the user selects a voice message transmission function through the user interface unit 133 in the fax data transmission and reception session (S260) and inputs a voice message through the microphone 150, the voice message unit 160 records the voice message ( S270).

The voice message input to the microphone 150 becomes an analog voice signal through the microphone's calling value and is stored in the memory unit 115.

The analog voice signal is stored in the memory unit 115, the voice message is encoded into a digital signal packetized in the encoding / decoding unit 155. The encoding is performed in accordance with T.38, a fax transmission standard of real time transmission. That is, the encoding / decoding unit 155 converts the analog voice signal into a data type that can be transmitted in real time to the Internet.

The PCM codec of the encoding / decoding unit 155 converts an analog voice signal into a digital voice signal, and the packetization / depacketization unit of the encoding / decoding unit 155 packetizes the digital voice signal.

In addition, the voice message unit 160 converts the fax communication mode to the voice message communication mode for transmission of the voice message. In the H.323 protocol of the T.38 standard, a real-time Internet fax machine transmits a facility, a terminal capability set (TCS), a master slave delay (MSD), and a request mode (mode) to change the communication mode. After that, close the old channel and open a new channel.

In this process, the real-time Internet fax device can determine the data type of the channel to use by using the mode request (non standard, videoMode, audioMode, dataMode, encryptionMode,…, h235Mode) after giving and receiving voice message capability to the TCS. have.

Accordingly, the voice message unit 160 may change the channel being used by using the mode conversion process. That is, the voice message unit 160 may open a communication channel of the voice message using this mode conversion process.

In the present embodiment, all the conversion procedures in H.323 are used, but the communication channel of the voice message can be opened using the mode conversion procedure of the corresponding protocols in other protocols of T.38 including SIP.

In addition, during the mode conversion, the voice message unit 160 transmits a signal indicating that the voice message is transmitted through the packet network.

The voice message unit 160 transmits the encoded voice message in real time to an open communication channel (S280). Either the voice channel, the fax channel or the data channel can be used as the communication channel of the voice message.

In this embodiment, the voice message unit 160 transmits the voice message in the fax data communication session, but this is merely an example. The voice message unit 160 may transmit a voice message even in a voice data communication session.

That is, the transmission of the voice message may be performed before the fax document transmission, after the fax document transmission, or simultaneously with the fax document transmission. Simultaneous transmission is possible by using two channels simultaneously.

When the transmission of the voice message is completed, the CPU 110 closes the open channel and releases the call connection with the real-time Internet fax apparatus at the receiving side (S290).

If the user does not select the voice message transmission function through the user interface unit 133 in the fax data transmission / reception session (S260), the CPU 110 releases the call connection with the receiving real-time Internet fax device after the fax communication is completed. (S290).

3 is a flowchart illustrating a voice message receiving method in the voice message communication method of FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, when the CPU 110 receives a call connection request from the sending real-time Internet fax apparatus (S310), the CPU 110 connects the call to the sending real-time Internet fax apparatus (S320).

The CPU 110 retries the call connection a certain number of times when the call connection fails, and nevertheless processes an error if the call connection still fails.

If the call connection is successful, the CPU 110 opens a voice channel and establishes a voice data transmission / reception session with the real-time Internet fax apparatus of the sending side to perform voice communication (S330). In this session, a telephone call is made between the receiving user and the sending user through the voice channel.

Upon completing the voice communication, the CPU 110 converts the voice communication mode to the fax communication mode. The CPU 110 opens a fax channel and establishes a fax data transmission / reception session with the real-time Internet fax apparatus on the sending side to perform fax communication (S340). In this session, fax documents are received through the fax channel.

If the sender does not want voice communication or there is no receiver to make voice communication, the fax document may be received immediately without voice communication.

When the voice message unit 160 receives a signal indicating that the voice message is transmitted in the fax data transmission / reception session (S350), the voice message unit 160 converts the fax communication mode to the voice message communication mode.

The voice message unit 160 changes the channel in use using a mode conversion process. That is, the voice message unit 160 closes the fax channel or the voice channel and opens the channel requested by the real-time Internet fax apparatus on the sending side.

The voice message unit 160 receives a voice message through the opened channel (S350). The voice message received is a voice message encoded according to T.38.

The voice message unit 160 records the received voice message (S360). The received voice message is stored in the memory unit 115. When the recording of the voice message is completed, the CPU 110 releases the call connection with the real-time Internet fax apparatus of the transmitting side (S370).

If a signal indicating that a voice message is transmitted in the fax data transmission / reception session is not received by the voice message unit 160 (S350), the CPU 110 releases the call connection with the real-time Internet fax on the sending side after the fax communication is completed ( S370).

4 is a flowchart illustrating a voice message checking method in the voice message communication method of FIG. Referring to FIG. 4, when the voice message checking function is selected through the user interface 133 (S410), the voice message unit 160 receives the fax document and the voice message through the user interface 133. Display. Simultaneously received fax documents and voice messages can be displayed using the same ID.

The user checks the received fax document and selects the stored voice message through the user interface 133 (S420). The selected voice message is decoded into a depacketized analog signal by the voice encoding / decoding unit 155. The decoded voice message is played in the speaker 153. The user listens to the played voice message (S430).

When the deleting function of the voice message is selected through the user interface unit 133 (S440), the voice message unit 160 deletes the voice message from the memory unit 115 (S450). On the other hand, the user may continue to store the listened voice message.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating step by step communication between the sending real-time Internet fax device and the receiving real-time Internet fax device in the voice message communication method of FIG.

Referring to Figure 5, in the call connection step (S530), the sending real-time Internet Fax device 510 sends a call connection request signal to the receiving real-time Internet Fax device 520 and the receiving real-time Internet Fax device 520 The sender sends a signal indicating that the call is connected to the real-time Internet fax apparatus 510.

In the voice communication step (S540), the transmitting real-time Internet fax apparatus 510 and the receiving real-time Internet fax apparatus 520 open a voice channel to perform voice communication. In this step, a telephone call is made between the sender and the receiver.

In the mode switching step S550, the communication mode between the sending real-time Internet fax machine 510 and the receiving real-time Internet fax machine 520 is switched from the voice communication mode to the fax communication mode.

In order to change the mode, the sending real-time Internet fax device 510 sends a fax channel open request signal to the receiving real-time Internet fax device 520, and the receiving real-time Internet fax device 520 sends the real-time Internet fax device 510. Signals that the fax channel has been opened.

In the fax communication step 560, a fax document transmission session is established between the sending real-time Internet fax apparatus 510 and the receiving real-time Internet fax apparatus 520. In this step, fax documents encoded according to T.38 are sent and received.

In the subsequent mode switching step (S570), the communication mode between the sending real-time Internet fax device 510 and the receiving real-time Internet fax device 520 is switched from the fax communication mode to the voice message communication mode.

In order to change the mode, the sending real-time Internet fax device 510 sends an open request signal of a voice message communication channel to the receiving real-time Internet fax device 520, and the receiving real-time Internet fax device 520 sends a real-time Internet fax device to the sending side. Signal 510 indicates that the voice message communication channel has been opened.

Either the voice channel, the fax channel or the data channel can be used as the voice message communication channel. The voice message is transmitted and received between the sending real-time Internet fax apparatus 510 and the receiving real-time Internet fax apparatus 520 through the voice message communication channel (S580).

In the call release step (S590), the sending real-time Internet Fax device 510 sends a call release request signal to the receiving real-time Internet Fax device 520, the receiving real-time Internet Fax device 520 is the sending real-time Internet Fax device 520 Signal a 510 to release the call.

The invention can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, hard disk, floppy disk, flash memory, optical data storage device, and also carrier wave (for example, transmission over the Internet). It also includes the implementation in the form of. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

So far I looked at the center of the preferred embodiment for the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, the sender's voice message can be transmitted in real time together with the fax document during the real-time Internet fax transmission, and the received voice message can be played without additional equipment.

Therefore, the receiver can distinguish the sender by voice, can easily grasp the sender's purpose of fax transmission, use, and the like, and can listen to the received voice message repeatedly.

Claims (5)

An internet fax apparatus for transmitting and receiving fax data in real time through a packet network, An encoding unit for encoding a voice message into a packetized digital signal; and And a voice message unit configured to open a communication channel of a voice message and transmit the encoded voice message in real time in any one of a session for transmitting and receiving a fax data or a session for transmitting and receiving voice data. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel of the voice message is A real-time Internet fax device, characterized in that it is any one of a voice channel, a fax channel or a data channel. The method of claim 1, The voice message unit receives a packetized voice message by opening a communication channel of the voice message in one of a transmission and reception session of fax data or a transmission and reception session of voice data, A decoding unit to decode the received voice message into a depacketized analog signal; and And a speaker for reproducing the decoded voice message. In the communication method of the Internet fax machine for transmitting and receiving fax data in real time through a packet network, Encoding the voice message into a packetized digital signal; Opening a communication channel of a voice message in either a transmission / reception session of fax data or a transmission / reception session of voice data; and And transmitting the encoded voice message in real time to the open communication channel. The method of claim 4, wherein the opening of the communication channel And transmitting a signal indicating that the voice message is to be transmitted.

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