I
`
`I
`
`III IIIII III IIII III IIIIIII III ll! III II IIIIIIIIIII III
`
`I
`
`I
`
`‘
`
`I
`
`U3005801842A
`
`I
`
`United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`[11} Patent Number:
`
`5,801,842
`
`Medina
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`*Sep. 1, 1998
`
`[54] TELEFACSIMILE MODULE CONNECTABLE
`TO TELEFACSIMILE MACHINES FOR
`TRANSMITTING DATA IN STANDARD 0R
`HIGH SPEED MODES
`
`Primary Examiner—Thomas D. Lee
`Attorney, Agent, or Finn—Foley & Lardner
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Mitchell A. Medina, Essex Fells. NJ.
`
`[73] Assignce:
`
`International Patent Holdings Ltd.,
`Hamilton, Bermuda
`
`[*1 N0fi051
`
`The term Of this patent shall IIOt CXtClld
`beyond “19 CXPmmOD date 0f Pat. N0.
`5,274,474
`
`Atelefacsimile module is connected between a conventional
`telefacsimile machine (host telefacsimile unit) and a phone
`
`line interface. The module receives conventional fax output
`from its host unit and re—transmits them to a destination
`telefacsimile machine in one of standard and high speed
`modes depending on the compatibility of the destination
`telefacsirnile.1he standard mode communication employs a
`conventional fax format for both text and graphics. The high
`speed mode distinguishes text from graphics and performs
`optical character recognition on suspeded character infor-
`mation. When characters are successfull
`reco nized, onl a
`code, e.g. ASCII, and the location if theg characteryis
`transmitted, realizing significant improvements in compres—
`sion ratios over conventional facsimile coding Graphics and
`unrecognizable eharactms are transmitted as bit—mapped
`Pi“ls 0’ in °°“V°““°nal 00mins” fax fm- The “31“”
`facsimile module is also capable of receiving incoming
`faxes from transmitting facsimile machines through the
`phone line interface in both the standard and high speed
`modes. Faxes sent and received in the high speed mode
`contain codes for text characters and bit-
`or com-
`
`HMN 1/40
`358/434; 358/462; 358/468;
`358/435; 379/100
`358/468, 435,
`, 4 4; 7 1
`3
`3 9/ 00
`
`[21] APPI- N05 364,131
`.
`[22] Flbd:
`Dec. 27’ 1994
`[51]
`Int. CI.6
`[52] us. c1.
`
`[58] Field of Search
`,4m,“4 2, 4
`358/4
`38
`6
`36
`Ref-emu” Cited
`
`[56]
`
`39
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`et al.
`5/1990 Gill
`4,922
`12/1994 Manon............
`5377:3311;
`7/1995 Ishikawa
`5,436,981
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`
`358/407
`358/462
`358/462
`
`Pressed Pixels f°r graphics and “WWW charm” and
`arc eimei Pfinted or recorded in a storage medium Sincc
`text charadens are received as codes, any desired prinfing
`resolution can be selected for them.
`
`60432846
`
`9/1985
`
`Japan ..................................... 358/462
`
`68 Chuns,’ 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`r______________________________ [5’03 _______I
`i
`28
`I
`
`
`
`
`PHONE LINE
`INTERFACE
`
`2°
`
`RECEIVE
`
`
`
`Commvault Ex. 1005
`Commvault v. Realtime
`
`US Patent No. 9,054,728
`
`Page 1
`
`TRANSMIT
`
`
`
`MEMORY
`
`III I I
`
`I I
`
`IIIIIIII
`
`
`
`
`Page 1
`
`Commvault Ex. 1005
`Commvault v. Realtime
`US Patent No. 9,054,728
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep.1,1998
`
`Sheet]_of12
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`5,801,842
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`US. Patent
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`Sep. 1, 1998
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`5,801,842
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`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1, 1998
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`Sheet 4 of 12
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`5,801,842
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`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep.1, 1998
`
`Sheet 5 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`FIG. 4
`
`
`
`
`BEGIN PROCESSING
`
`,_______________C1003
`'
`STORE IN
`I
`-~->'
`__________________
`g MODULE MEMORYE
`1'
`
` STANDARD
`STANDARD
`OR HIGH-SPEED
`
`TRANSMISSION
`?
`
`1023
`
`EXPANSION (MAY BE SKIPPED DEPENDING
`0N CHARACTERISTICS OF OCR ENGINE)
`
`106
`
`PAGE SEGMENTATION SEPARATE PAGE
`INTO LINES & GRAPHICS AREAS
`
`__________________________
`
`102
`
`GRAPHICS
`
`
`
`
`
`CHARACTER SEPARATION SCAN CHARACTER
`AREAS FOR CHARACTER DATA
`
`107
`
`CHARACTER
`DATA PRESENT
`?
`
`PLACE CHARACTER CODES
`IN MEMORY WITH LOCATIONS
`
`PLACE IN STANDARD
`FACSIMILE DATA FORMAT
`
`103
`
`
`
`
`COMPRESS DATA (MAY BE
`SKIPPED DEPENDING ON
`CHARACTERISTICS CF OCR
`ENGINE)
`
`
`(OVERRIDE
`OCR)
`
`
`MORE
`PAGES TO BE
`PROCESSED
`
`.............
`
`
`
`
`Page 6
`
`Page 6
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1,1998
`
`Sheet 6 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`FIG. 4a
`
`101a
`
`
`r______________Ejsoa
`———>
`I
`STORE IN
`I
`I MODULE MEMORYJ
`.__ ______._'__._______
`
`
`
`INSTRUCTIONS
`
`OR PROTOCOL MEMORY BEGIN PROCESSING
`FROM RECEIVING FAX, USER
`
`
`
`?
`
`
`
`
`
` 103
`
`
`
`OCR)
`OF OCR ENGINE)
` YES I
`
`
`
`STANDARD
`OR HIGH-SPEED
`TRANSMISSIO
`
`HIGH-SPEED
`
`102a
`
`EXPANSION (MAY BE SKIPPED DEPENDING
`ON CHARACTERISTICS OF OCR ENGINE)
`106
`
`PAGE SEGMENTATION SEPARATE PAGE
`INTO LINES & GRAPHICS AREAS
`
`__________________________
`
`CHARACTER SEPARATION SCAN CHARACTER
`AREAS FOR CHARACTER DATA
`
`4 HARACTER DATA PRESE p
`?
`
`Y
`
`PLACE CHARACTER CODES
`IN MEMORY WITH LOCATIONS
`
`PLACE IN STANDARD
`FACSIMILE DATA FORMAT
`
`EDIT
`(OVERRIDE
`
`COMPRESS DATA (MAY BE SKIPPED
`DEPENDING ON CHARACTERISTICS
`
`“2:2.
`
`STORE IN MEMORY
`
`1040
`
`Page 7
`
`Page 7
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1, 1998
`
`Sheet 7 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`com
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`Page 8
`
`Page 8
`
`
`
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1, 1998
`
`Sheet 8 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`FIG. 6
`
`READ DATA FROM
`MEMORY OR PHONE LINE
`
`
`
`1 30a
`
` STANDARD
`OR HIGH-SPEED
`
` 130
`
`?
`
`
`
`CHARACTER
`CHARACTER
`DATA OR GRAPHICS
`
`
`DATA ?
`
`
`EXPANSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`135
`
`
`
`
`
`132
`
`EXPANSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`136
`
`133
`
`FORMAT GRAPHICS
`INFORMATION FOR PRINTING
`
`FORMAT CHARACTER
`INFORMATION FOR PRINTING
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`136a
`
`1330
`
`
`
`. COMPRESSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`COMPRESSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`136b
`
`I33d
`
`
`
`SEND TO HOST UNIT
`
`SEND TO HOST UNIT
`FOR PRINTING
`
`FOR PRINTING
`
`Page 9
`
`Page 9
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1, 1998
`
`Sheet 9 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`
`
`FIG. 6a
`
`130
`
`READ DATA FROM
`MEMORY OR PHONE LINE
`
`1303
`
` STANDARD
`OR HIGH-SPEED
`
` CHARACTER
`DATA OR GRAPHICS
`DATA ?
`
`CHARACTER
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SEND INFORMATION
`TO HOST UNIT
`I34
`
`?
`
`EXPANSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`
`
`
`132
`
`EXPANSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`133
`
`FORMAT GRAPHICS
`INFORMATION FOR PRINTING
`
`FORMAT CHARACTER
`INFORMATION FOR PRINTING
`
`
`
`I
`
`MERGE CHARACTER &
`GRAPHICS INFO
`
`136a
`
`COMPRESSION (OPTIONAL)
`
`
`
`Page 10
`
`Page 10
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1,1993
`
`Sheet 10 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`START
`
`
`
`DIAL NUMB
`
`ER
`
`
`
`PR T
`MEMORY
`?
`
`' ECEIVED
`
`
`
`
`
` HIGH-SPEED
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`
`
`STANDARD
`
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`
`PROTOCOL
`
`PROTOCOL
`
`
`MEMORY
`
`
`?
`
` PROTOCOL
`PROTOCOL
`MEMORY
`
`
`
`
`
` Y
`
`150
`
`LOCAL
`PRINT REQUIRED
`'
`
`N
`
`
`
`
`151
`END DATA TO HOST UNIT OR OTHER PRINTER
`THROUGH MIH INTERFACE FOR PRINTING
`
`s
`
`Page 11
`
`Page 11
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1, 1998
`
`Sheet 11 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`FIG. 7a
`
`140
`
`DIAL NUMBER
`
`
`
` CHECK
`PROTOCOL
`
`MEMORY
`
`?
`
`
`
`
`
`HIGH-SPEED
`
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`”5
`
`
`
`
`RECEIVED
`STANDARD
`N
`
`Y
`PDAT
`ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`PROTOCOL
`MEMORY
`?
`
`
`
`SELECT PRE-
`
`
`FORMATTED
`DOCUMENT
`
`
`FROM MEMORY
`312
`
`SELECT OTHER
`FORMAT
`
`
`
`N
`
`
`SET HIGH-SPEED 147
`
`SEND MODE
`
`
`
`
`306
`300
`N STORE NEW
`PROTOCOL
`INFO
`
`IOC.
`FORMAT
`OK
`
`REFORMAT
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SET STANDARD
`FACSIMILE MODE
`
`
`
`151
`END DATA TO HOST UNIT OR OTHER PRINTER
`THROUGH M/H INTERFACE FOR PRINTING
`
`s
`
`Page 12
`
`150
`
`Y
`LOCAL
`PRINT REQUIRED
`'
`
`N
`
`Page 12
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Sep. 1, 1998
`
`Sheet 12 of 12
`
`5,801,842
`
`START
`
`FIG- ‘9
`
`SEND ANSWER TONE
`
`LISTEN FOR PROTOCOL TONE
`
`
`
`162
`
` TYPE OF
`
`
`
`
`PROTOCOL
`?
`
`STANDARD FACSIMILE
`
`
`
`HIGH-SPEED
`
`SEND HIGH-SPEED7
`
`PROTOCOL ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`SEND HIGH-SPEED8
`
`RECEIVE MODE
`
`
`
`
`SEND STANDARD
`FACSIMILE ACKNOWLEDGMENT
`
`163
`
`164
`
`SEND STANDARD
`FACSIMILE MODE
`
`165
`
`READ DATA FROM
`
`PHONE LINE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`STORE IN MEMORY
`
`SEND DATA TO HOST
`UNIT OR OTHER PRINTER
`THROUGH M/H INTERFACE
`FOR PRINTING
`
`Page 13
`
`Page 13
`
`

`

`5,801,842
`
`1
`TELEFACSIMILE MODULE CONNECTABLE
`TO TELEFACSIMILE MACHINES FOR
`TRANSMITTING DATA IN STANDARD OR
`HIGH SPEED MODES
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`This invention relates generally to a telefacsimile module
`connectable to conventional telefacsimile machines. More
`particularly, the invention relates to a telefacsimile module
`connected between a conventional telefacsimile source (also
`referred to as a host telefacsimile unit) and a phone line
`interface. The telefacsimile module has the ability to distin-
`guish recognizable characters from unknown graphics, and
`to transmit codes for the recognizable characters with less
`data than that required by bit maps employed in conven-
`tional telefacsimile devices.
`2. Related Art
`Conventional telefacsimile or fax machines scan a docu-
`ment to produce pixel data. This pixel data is then com-
`pressed and sent over communications media such as tele—
`phone lines to a receiving fax machine. A problem with such
`telefacsimile machines is the absence of maximal data
`compression for charactus due to the lack of efficient coding
`for character data.
`
`US. Pat. No. 4,410,916 issued to Pratt discloses a dual
`mode telefacsimile compression technique, wherein spa-
`tially isolated black and white pixel patterns expeded to
`rewrinadocumentareextractedandcodedbyamatdting
`process. A trial block area around a block pixel is examined
`to isolate symbols. Isolated symbols are labeled and a set of
`measured features is used to build a h'brary. Each symbol
`subsequently found in trial blocks of the scan is compared to
`the features of the blocks to eliminate unworthy symbols
`fi'omatemplatematchingprocess. Ifthematchinga’rorfalls
`below a threshold, the identification of the matching library
`number is stored for later coding. If no symbol is found
`within a trial block, the block is encoded as residue using a
`modified relative address code and processed separately. The
`symbols’ library identification codes and residue codes and
`the codes of unsuccessfully compared symbols are trans-
`mitted to receivers. The specialized coding in Pratt is quite
`slow due to the need to perform extensive template matching
`for each character. Pratt does not distinguish text from
`graphics, and fails to provide flexible opu'ation in other
`modes, such as transmission of bit maps, so that communi-
`cation is only possible among similarly equipped units.
`US. Pat. No. 4,566,127 to Sekiya discloses a telefac-
`simile having an optical character reader and a central
`processing unit which provide coding character information
`and a telefacsimile mode. However, Seldya is limited to
`operation with documents of a predetermined format in
`which character groups having predetermined attributes are
`disposed in a first location of the document and images
`having predetermined attributes are disposed in a predeter-
`mined second location.
`
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,545 to Endo discloses a telefacsimile
`image coding method in which an input image pattern which
`occurs once is sequentially scanned and conventionally
`encoded. Patterns appearing twice or more, according to a
`matching pattern, are encoded by position coordinates and a
`library identification code is added at the time the pattern is
`registered in a library. This system is primarily a handwrit-
`ing recognition system, and there is no provision for flexible
`operation with units not similarly equipped.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVE‘TI'ION
`
`An objective of this invention is to provide a telefacsimile
`module, connectable to millions of conventional telefac-
`
`10
`
`15
`
`30
`
`35
`
`4s
`
`55
`
`2
`
`simile machines or sources currently in use, which provides
`quicker transmission of documents and a higher quality
`printout than conventional facsimile devices.
`Another object of the invention is to provide a telefac-
`simile module, connectable to conventional telefacsimile
`machines or sources, which permits transmission of docu-
`ments in either a high speed mode or a standard mode.
`A still further object of the invention is to provide a
`telefacsimile module, connectable to conventional telefac-
`simile devices, which transmits documents in either a high
`speed mode or a standard mode directly or indirectly.
`A still funher object of the invention is to provide a
`telefacsimile module, connectable to conventional telefac-
`simile devices which, while providing the above advantages
`when communicating with other suitably equipped telefac-
`simile devices, is still capable of communicating with con-
`ventional telefacsimile machines.
`
`A telefacsimile module, according to this invention, has
`the capability of recognizing characters on a document.
`Characters are converted by an optical character recognition
`(OCR) means to produce character codes for recognizable
`ASCII or the like. Any unrecognizable characters and areas
`of the doannent which are graphics or other non-character
`information are coded according to standard telefacsimile
`methods. The coding of both character and non-character
`information includes means for enabling data from both
`coding modes to be reproduced in its original spatial rela-
`tionship at a destination facsimile device. The document is
`then transmitted as a combination of character codes, such
`as ASCII codes, and standard telefacsimile codes. This
`results in higher compression ratios for documents contain-
`ing a numb: of recognizable characters and thu‘efore
`allows reducing the transmission time of a document.
`A telefacsimile module aoccrding to the invention may
`operate in either a standard telefacsimile mode or in the
`described high speed mode. The module receives input from
`a conventional fax source to which it is connected and is
`capable of expanding conventionally compressed fax data to
`a format compatible with its OCR engine, if such engine
`cannot process compressed fax data. The module would
`typically query or otha'wise determine whether a receiving
`telefacsimile machine (or a conventional device equipped
`with a similarmodule)canprocess thehigh speedmode
`containing character and telefacsimile data or whetha' the
`receiving machine can only process standard telefacsimile
`data. The transmitting module may automatically switch
`modes between the described high speed mode (I the
`standard telefacsimile mode according to whether the
`receiving machine can process the high speed mode.
`Therefore, a telefacsimile module according to this inven-
`tion is capable of communicating with existing telefacsimile
`devices.
`
`Indiehighspwdmode,sinced1araaercodes,inASClI
`or other defined character sets, are sent and then received by
`the receiving telefacsimile machine, characters may be
`printed as fully formed characters rather than as low reso—
`lution pixel data. Therefore, documents sent using this
`telefacsimile module can be more legible in the character
`areas than documents sent by conventional telefacsimile
`machines.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telefacsimile coding
`transmission and reception system.
`FIG. 2 is a typical conventional scanna' interface.
`FIG. 2a is a block diagram of the telefacsimile module
`connected between a host unit and a phone line interface.
`
`Page 14
`
`Page 14
`
`

`

`5,801,842
`
`3
`FIG. 3 is a host-to-module interface according to the
`invention.
`
`FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operation of the host—to-
`module intm’face.
`
`FIG. 4a illustrates optional features and an alternative
`embodiment of the host-to—module interface.
`
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the module-to—host interface.
`FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the operation of the module-to-
`host interface.
`
`FIG. 6a is a flow chart of another mode of operation of the
`module-to-host interface.
`
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the operation of document
`transmission.
`
`FIG. 7a illustrates the integration of optional features in
`FIG. 4a with an alterrmtive method of document transmis-
`sion.
`
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the operation of document
`reception.
`
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`DE'I‘Am DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`US. Pat. No. 5,274,474 issued to Medina discloses an
`integrated telefacsimile device and method for telefaxing
`documents in standard and high speed modes and is herein
`incorporated by reference.
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telefacsimile coding
`transmission and reception system. A scanner l0 converts a
`document into bit-mapped pixels and sends them through
`the scanner interface 12 to the memory 14 or directly to the
`transmit section 16. The scanner interface 12 (otherwise
`referred to as a scannu' control and data interface) controls
`the scanner 10 and processes the pixel data which is sent
`hen the scanner 10 to the memory 14 or sent directly to the
`transmit section 16. After the pixel data has been processed
`by the scanner interface 12, the transmit section 16 sends
`this data through a phone line interface 18 and over a phone
`line 20 to a receiving fax machine.
`In the reception mode data comes in over the phone line
`20throughaphonelineinterface18andisplacedin
`memory 14 by the receiving block 22, or else is sent directly
`totheprinterinterfaceM.Printerinterfaoe24readsthis
`received data from memory 14, or directly from the receiv-
`ing block 22, processes this data, and sends it to a printer 26
`to be printed as a received document. A controller 28
`containing, for example, a programmed microprocessor,
`sequences the operation of the telefacsimile machine.
`A conventional telefacsimile scanner and telefacsimile
`scanner intaface is shown in FIG. 2. Scanner 30 converts
`
`the document into bit-mapped pixels which are fed through
`scanne- control and data interface 32 to memory 33. This
`pixel data, coded in standard telefacsimile format by graph—
`ics processor 34, is compressed using standard telefacsimile
`methods by compression block 36 and placed in memory 33
`in preparation for transmission.
`FIG. 2a is a block diagram of the telefacsimile module
`600 connected between a host unit 500, such as a conven—
`tional telefax machine, and a phone line interface 18. The
`host unit 500 is the same as that shown in phantom in FIG.
`1, though any conventional facsimile source could be used.
`The telefacsimile module 600 receives data from its host
`unit 500 through the host unit‘s transmitting section 16. A
`host-to-module (HIM) interface 601 controls the reception
`and processes the conventional fax data to a memory 613 or
`sends it directly to a transmit section 616. After the con—
`ventional fax data has been processed by the HIM interface
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`601, the transmit section 616 sends this data through the
`phone line interface 18 and over the phone line 21) to a
`receiving fax device.
`In the reception mode, fax data comes in over the phone
`line 20 through a phone line interface 18 and is placed in
`memory 614 by the receiving block 622, or else is sent
`directly to the module-to-host (M/H) interface 602. The M
`interface 602 reads this received data from memory 614, or
`directly from the receiving block 622, processes this data,
`and sends it to the receiving block 22 of the host unit 500 for
`mmme
`The mode determiner 90 queries the receiving fax device
`to determine if the receiving device can process data sent in
`the high speed mode. Alternatively, the mode determiner 90
`may optionally consult a protocol memory 80 (shown in
`FIG. 3) of stored destination fax numbers and their
`capabilities, and/or request or receive user instructions 81
`(shown in FIG. 3) prior to or in place of querying the
`destination machine. If the receiving machine is not
`equipped with a telefacsimile module according to this
`invention and is not a similarly equipped device, such as the
`device in US. Pat. No. 5,274,474, capable of handling data
`transmittedintitehighspeedmodedatais sentinthe
`standard mode. In the standard mode, the telefacsimile
`module 600 merely retransmits the data it receives from the
`host unit 500. Likewise, if data is received in the standard
`mode, the telefacsimile module 600 merely retransmits the
`data it receives to the host unit 500.
`
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of me HIM interface 601
`according to the present invention. The telefacsimile module
`operates in either a standard or a high speed mode, depend-
`ing on the capability of the receiving fax machine. A mode
`determiner 90 has a mode query signal generator 93 which
`transmits a mode quay signal along line 91 to the receiving
`or destination fax machine, for example through multiplexu
`92, and analyzes the response. If detector 94 determines that
`the destination fax has responded with a predetermined
`signal, the high speed mode is set by the facsimile module.
`If the facsimile module detects a signal other than the
`predetermined signal or if no response is detected within a
`predetermined time measured by time- 95, the facsimile
`module sets the standard mode.
`A host telefacsimile device 500 converts a document into
`conventional fax information and transmits this information
`to control 640. Depending on the characteristics and capa—
`bilities of the OCR engine 60, the conventional fax data may
`be expanded before being placed in memory 613. The HIM
`interface 601 may analyze the dourment separating it into
`character areas and graphics areas, code this information,
`compress this information and place it back into memory
`613. Alternatively,
`the information could be provided
`directly to transmit section 16 without intermediate storage
`in memory 613.
`One por1ion of the HIM interface 601 is dedicated solely
`to control as indicated in block 640. One function of the
`control 640 is to command the HIM interface 601 toretrans—
`mit data through the transmit section 616 upon receiving a
`standard mode response from the receiving fax device, the
`protocol memory 80 or user instructions 81. In addition,
`optionally, a page analyzer 50 may analyze a page of a
`document or, alternatively, a section of a page, such as Vs to
`IAofapageatatime and separates the documentorportion
`of the document into character areas and graphics areas.
`Portions identified as character areas are sent to the optical
`character recognition block 60. Recognizable characters are
`sent as characte- codes in ASCII or the like to a compression
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`5,801,842
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`block 70 and then sent to memory 613, or sent directly to
`transmit section 616. Unrecognizable pixel pattans and,
`optionally, entire areas identified as graphics areas by the
`page analyzer 50, are sent to a graphics processing block 72
`to be processed into a standard telefacsimile data format
`through the compressor 70. and then sent to memory 613, or
`directly to transmit section 616 without intermediate storage
`in memory 613.
`Inside the page analyzer 50 a page segmentation proces-
`sor 52 analyzes the pixels of a compressed or expanded
`conventional fax page to identify interline spaces. Other
`methods of distinguishing character and non-character infor-
`mation may be used, as for example, segmentation of pages
`into sectors for analysis, comparison with predefined docu-
`ment templates stored in memory, within the facsimile
`module itself or in a computer peripheral
`to the fax
`assembly, etc. Horizontal areas of low pixel density might
`indicate spaces between lines of text if these horizontal lines
`are repetitive and evenly spaced. Horizontal spaces which
`are not evenly spaced may indicate borders between graph-
`ics areas. Areas of low pixel density which run vertically
`may indicate spaces between columns of text or graphics
`areas. Areas of a document which are tentatively identified
`as containing character information by the page segmenta-
`tion processor 52 are sent to block 54 so that these character
`areas can be further identified and mapped in preparation for
`optical character recognition by block 60. Areas of a docu-
`ment which are tentatively identified by the page segmen-
`tation processor 52 as being composed of unrecognizable
`character, non-character or graphics information are sent to
`block 56 to further map and identify these areas of the
`document. The information is then sent to the graphics
`processing block 72 to be processed as standard telcfac-
`simile data.
`Potential character data which is sent to the OCR block 60
`is first analyzed by character separation block 62. Character
`separation block 62 separates a line into individual charac-
`ters. These characters are then compared against those
`contained in a character library 64 which contains a set of
`standard ASCII characta’s or another or a variety of defined
`character sets. This is accomplished using well-known char-
`acter recognition techniques which can identify a large
`variety of fonts accln'ately, or using omnifont OCR if
`suficient reliability can be obtained. Characters which are
`positively identified are coded as characters and sent to the
`compression block 70. Unrecognizable characta's or graph-
`ics areas are sent by the character separation block 62 to
`graphics processing block 72 to be coded as standard
`telefacsimile data. The standard telefacsimile data from 72 is
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`also sent to block 70 for compression (compression may be
`skipped if the data from the host unit has not been previously
`expanded) and to be concatenated and/or merged with the
`compressed recognizable characters and placed into
`memory 613, or alternately, this data may be sent directly to
`transmit section 616.
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`The HIM module inta'face 601 operates efiiciently by
`using standard character recognition and page segmentation
`techniques. Repetitive matching techniques such as those
`described in US. Pat. Nos. 4,410,916 or 4,922,545 may also
`be used. The invention is, however, not limited to any fixed
`algorithm or method for character recognition as it is envi-
`sioned that improved character recognition algorithms will
`be developed in the future which would be equally appli—
`cable in performing the invention. Even present day tech-
`niques ofier high gains in coding efliciency over standard
`telefacsirnile techniques thus allowing a telefacsimile page
`to be transmitted in less time and, therefore, at less cost for
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`telephone line usage then in a standard telefacsirnile. Accu-
`rate recognition is important for correctly encoding and
`transmitting a document. Therefore, any characters which
`cannot be positively identified with a high degree of cer-
`tainty by character separation block 62 are sent to block 72
`to be processed as standard telefacsirnile data.
`FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operation of the HIM interface
`601. In step 100 conventional facsimile data is received from
`the host unit 500, and in step 1000 may optionally be stored
`in memory 613 (FIG. 3) prior to further processing. In step
`101, a page or other suitable unit of conventional facsimile
`data is spooled in either from the host unit or memory 613.
`In step 102 the HM interface 601 decides whether the
`document is to be transmitted in standard or high speed
`mode. The determination is based on the capability of the
`receiving fax machine. As previously discussed this can be
`determined by transmitting a signal and looking for a
`predetermined response from the receive“. This can either be
`done in a brief querying telephone call which is discon-
`nected prior to document processing, or else the line may be
`held open while processing begins immediately.
`Alternatively, as previously discussed, a memory or direc-
`tory of stored protocol information relating to individual fax
`numbers may be consulted, eitha automatically, or manu—
`ally by the user, who would then input such information. If
`the document is to be transmitted in the standard mode,
`control skips to step 105. In step 105, the HIM interface 601
`decides whether that are more pages to be received from
`the host facsimile unit. If so, control is passed back to step
`101.
`
`If step 102 decides that a document is to be transmittedin
`the high speed mode, control is passed to step 1024 where
`the conventional fax data from the host facsimile unit 500
`may be optionally expanded if required for the subsequent
`steps of page segmentation and/or character recognition. In
`the optional page segmentation of step 106, a page is
`separated into potential character areas or graphics areas.
`Areas that are to be encoded as graphics are sent to step 103
`for processing in standard telefacsimile data format. Areas
`which aretobeprocessedas characters are sentto step 107
`for character separation, whether page segmentation has
`been performed or not. In step 107 individual charaaas are
`isolated A potential character is then processed in step 108
`which recognizes whether an actual ASCII or other codable
`character is present. If the isolated character cannot be
`recognized, it is sent to step 103 where it is placed in
`standard telefacsimile data format. If the isolated character
`canberecognized,thenin step l09acharactercodeforthe
`identified charm is placed in memory according to a
`method which enables reproduction of the location of that
`character at a destination facsimile device. Possmle methods
`
`for achieving this purpose include identifying position coor-
`dinates for each mm, and creating text files capable of
`cooperating with and/or being merged with overlay files for
`non-character or non-recognized character information.
`Otha' methods are possible and may be used by those skilled
`intheart'l‘hecharacterdataisthenoptionally compressed
`in step 104. Step 105 decides whether there are more pages
`to be processed and, if so, control is passed back to step 101.
`In FIG. 4a, a number of optional features and alternative
`embodiments are illustrated. In one alta‘ative embodiment,
`the decision in step 102 could be delayed and a document
`stored in a memory in both the standard and high speed
`formats. Upon an indication from the receiving fax of its
`capability, transmission could be performed in the corre-
`sponding format.
`In another slightly different embodiment, the transmitting
`module could maintain a preprogrammed or built up list of
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`5,801,842
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`destination machine capabilities. For example, when a tele-
`facsirnile number is dialed for the first time the compatible
`format indicated by the destination machine could be stored
`and subsequent transmission to that destination provided in
`the indicated format without inquiry. Based on such stored
`protocol information (or on instructions from the receiving
`machine or the user). as shown in step 101a, character and
`graphics information may be merged (steps 10lb and 1010)
`and sent to a receiver equipped to receive such information.
`However, such a merge is preferably implemented by a
`suitably equipped receiving module or device prior to or
`during the printing process, as illustrated in FIG. 6a. As
`shown in step 101b, if the merge is performed at
`the
`receiving machine, step 101C is bypassed. In addition, as
`shown in step 104e, information correctly formatted for
`printing or display can also be stored in a memory.
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the WH interface 602. When
`a document is sent from a transmitting facsimile over the
`phone line, that information is read from memory 614 or
`directly from the phone line, processed by the MIR interface
`602 and sent to the host unit 500 for printing. In the MIH
`interface 602, the received data from the memory 614 or
`phone line is routed by control 119. If data is received in the
`standard mode, it is retransmitted to the host unit 500 for
`printing.Ifitisreceivedinthehighspwdmode,itis
`decompressed or expanded in block 120, interpreted as
`character or graphics data in block 122, formatted as char-
`actercodesorgraphicscodes forprintinginblockm,
`compressed in block 126 and sent to the host unit 500 for
`printing. By decoding character data codes, the MIR inter-
`face 602 does not simply reproduce a received compressed
`or uncompressed bit map. Instead, the MIR interface 602
`independently reproduces the character based on the coded
`information. One advantage of this is that character infor-
`mation may be formatted for printing at a higher resolution.
`This is because a characta' which is scanned at, for example,
`300 dots per inch and identified as, for instance, an A, is
`transmitted asthe draraaa'codeforanAinASCIIorflre
`like. The Mill interface 602 at the receiving end recognizes
`this character code is the letter A. Depending on the char-
`acteristics of a character-library-type OCR engine, if such is
`employed, it is possible to reproduce font, points, and pitch
`for a