FAX-through data network and remote access network appliance control apparatus and method

Abstract

A FAX-through data network includes a receiver side LAN end station and a sender side LAN end station. A first converter receives a FAX communication from the sender FAX and generates a FAX packet. The FAX packet includes a predefined session port number and a receiver FAX-network ID. A FAX-network server receives the FAX packet, extract the receiver FAX-network ID, performs a lookup of a destination IP address in a mapping table and forwards the FAX packet to the destination IP address. A second converter intercepts and identifies the FAX packet, extracts the FAX communication from the FAX packet, establish a communication with the receiver FAX without routing a signal through the PSTN and transmits the FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine. A remote access appliance control apparatus includes an appliance side LAN end station. An appliance control packet is generated by the remote network user and includes a predefined session port number, an appliance network ID and the control command. An appliance network server receives the appliance control packet, extracts the appliance network ID, looks-up a corresponding destination IP address in a mapping table, and forwards the appliance control packet to the destination IP address. An appliance converter intercepts and identifies the appliance control packet, extracts the control command and asserts the control command to the appliance using the appliance communication protocol. Advantages include the ability to share the IP address of a LAN end station. The invention also eliminates local and long distance toll cost charge for FAX communication.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A FAX-through data network configured to transmit a FAX communication from a sender FAX machine to a receiver FAX machine without routing a signal through a PSTN, comprising: 
 a receiver side LAN end station having a receiver IP address;    a sender side LAN end station having a sender IP address;    a first converter configured to receive the FAX communication from the sender FAX machine and convert the FAX communication to a network packet format to generate a FAX packet including a predefined session port number and a receiver FAX-network ID;    a FAX-network server configured to receive the FAX packet, extract the receiver FAX-network ID, lookup a corresponding destination IP address in a mapping table and forward the FAX packet to the destination IP address; and    a second converter configured to intercept and identify the FAX packet, extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet, establish a communication link with the receiver FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN, and transmit the FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first converter is comprised of: 
 a FAX transmit buffer configured to store the FAX communication received from the sender FAX via a FAX communication port, wherein the FAX communication port establishes a communication with the sender FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN;    a FAX to network package unit configured to receive the FAX communication and convert the FAX communication to the network packet format to generate the FAX packet including the predefined session port number in the FAX packet and the receiver FAX-network ID; and    a transmit channel arbitrator configured to monitor a sender side end station transmit channel, such that once the transmit channel is idle the FAX packet is transferred to the FAX-network server via a transmit channel of a LAN communication port.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the sender FAX machine also receives FAX communications, such that the first converter is further comprised of: 
 a source IP extractor configured to detect the sender IP address by monitoring packets transmitted by the sender side LAN end station to generate a notification packet including the predefined session port number in the notification packet, the sender FAX-network ID and the sender IP address;    a startup switch configured to receive the notification packet and the FAX packet, such that once the notification packet is transferred to an output of the startup switch, the FAX packet is transferred to the output thereafter,    wherein the transmit channel arbitrator is further configured to monitor the sender side end station transmit channel, such that once the transmit channel is idle the notification packet/FAX packet is transferred to the FAX-network server via the transmit channel of the LAN communication port;    a receive channel filter configured to monitor a session port number and a source IP address of packets transmitted to the sender side LAN end station in order to identify and intercept the FAX packet, such that the session port number matches the predefined session port number and the source IP address matches an IP address of the FAX-network server;    a FAX receive buffer configured to store the FAX packet; and    a network format to FAX format unpack unit configured to extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet and forward the FAX communication to the sender FAX machine via the FAX communication port, such that the FAX communication port establishes a communication with the sender FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN.    
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the FAX-network server is comprised of: 
 an input filter configured to receive a network packet and identify the notification packet and the FAX packet based on an identification field;    a first extractor configured to determined a FAX-network ID and an IP address contained in the notification packet to create a new entry in the mapping table;    a second extractor configured to determine the destination FAX-network ID from the FAX packet;    a search engine configured to determine the destination FAX IP address from the look up table using the destination FAX-network ID as a key; and    a packet modifier configured to replace a destination IP address of the FAX packet with the destination FAX IP address and a source IP address of the FAX packet with a FAX-network server IP address.    
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second converter is comprised of: 
 a source IP extractor configured to detect the receiver IP address by monitoring packets transmitted by the receiver side LAN end station to generate a notification packet including the predefined session port number in the notification packet, the receiver FAX-network ID and the receiver IP address;    a transmit channel arbitrator configured to monitor a receiver side end station transmit channel, such that once the transmit channel is idle the notification packet is transferred to the FAX-network server via a transmit channel of a LAN communication port;    a receive channel filter configured to monitor a session port number and a source IP address of packets transmitted to the receiver side LAN end station in order to identify and intercept the FAX packet;    a FAX receive buffer configured to store the FAX packet; and    a network format to FAX format unpack unit configured to extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet and forward the FAX communication to the receiver FAX machine via a FAX communication port, such that the FAX communication port establishes the communication with the receiver FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the receiver fax also transmits FAX communications, such that the second converter is further comprised of: 
 a FAX transmit buffer configured to store the FAX communication received from the receiver FAX via a FAX communication port, wherein the FAX communication port establishes a communication with the receiver FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN;    a FAX to network package unit configured to receive the FAX communication and convert the FAX communication to generate the FAX packet including the predefined session port number in a header of the FAX packet and the destination FAX-network ID; and    a startup switch configured to receive the notification packet and the FAX packet, such that once the notification packet is transferred to an output of the startup switch, the FAX packet is transferred to the output thereafter,    wherein the transmit channel arbitrator is further configured to monitor a receiver side end station transmit channel, such that once the transmit channel is idle the notification packet/FAX packet is transferred to the FAX-network server via the transmit channel of the LAN communication port.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the FAX-through data network is further configured to transmit a FAX communication from the receiver FAX machine to the sender FAX machine without routing a signal through a PSTN, further comprising: 
 a first converter configured to receive the FAX communication from the receiver FAX and convert the FAX communication to generate the FAX packet including the predefined session port number and a sender FAX-network ID; and    a second converter configured to intercept and identify the FAX packet, extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet, establish communication with the sender FAX without routing a signal through the PSTN and forward the FAX communication to the sender FAX machine.    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first converter is comprised of: 
 a FAX transmit buffer configured to store the FAX communication received from the sender/receiver FAX via a FAX communication port, wherein the FAX communication port establishes communication with the sender/receiver FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN;    a FAX to network package unit configured to receive the FAX communication and convert the FAX communication to generate the FAX packet including the predefined session port number in the FAX packet and the sender/receiver FAX-network ID; and    a transmit channel arbitrator configured to monitor a sender/receiver side end station transmit channel, such that when the transmit channel is idle the FAX packet is transferred to the FAX-network server via a transmit channel of a LAN communication port.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second converter is comprised of: 
 a source IP extractor configured to detect the sender/receiver IP address by monitoring packets transmitted to the sender/receiver side LAN end station to generate a notification packet including the predefined session port number, the sender/receiver FAX-network ID and the sender/receiver IP address;    a transmit channel arbitrator configured to monitor a sender/receiver side end station transmit channel, such that once the transmit channel is idle the notification packet is transferred to the FAX-network server via a transmit channel of a LAN communication port;    a receive channel filter configured to monitor a session port number and a source IP address of packets transmitted to the sender/receiver side LAN end station in order to identify and intercept the FAX packet, such that the session port number matches the predefined session port number and the source IP address matches an IP address of the FAX-network server;    a FAX receive buffer configured to store the FAX packet; and    a network format to FAX format unpack unit configured to extract the FAX communication from the FAX packet and forward the FAX communication to the sender/receiver FAX via a FAX communication port, such that the FAX communication port establishes the communication with the FAX machine without routing a signal through the PSTN.    
     
     
         10 . A method of transmitting a FAX communication from a sender FAX to a receiver FAX without routing a signal through a PSTN, the method comprising steps of: 
 detecting a receiver IP address of a receiver side LAN end station;    generating a notification packet including a predefined session port number, the receiver IP address and a receiver FAX-network ID;    sending the notification packet to a FAX-network server;    receiving the notification packet at the FAX-network server, wherein the FAX-network server includes a mapping table between a destination FAX-network ID and a destination IP address;    establishing a communication link between a first converter and the sender FAX without routing a signal through a PSTN;    receiving the FAX communication from the sender FAX at the first converter;    generating a FAX packet by converting the FAX communication to a network packet format including the predefined session port number and the receiver FAX-network ID;    sending the FAX packet to the FAX-network server;    transmitting the FAX packet to the destination IP address looked-up in the mapping table of the FAX-network server with the receiver FAX-network ID as a key;    intercepting the FAX packet at a second converter;    extracting the FAX communication from the FAX packet;    establishing a communication link with the receiver FAX machine without routing a signal through a PSTN; and    transmitting the FAX communication to the receiver FAX.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the detecting step further includes steps of: 
 intercepting a network packet transmitted by the receiver side LAN end station;    determining a source IP address in a header of the network packet; and    using the source IP address as the receiver IP address.    
     
     
         12 . An appliance control apparatus for asserting a control command to an appliance from a remote network user using an appliance communication protocol, the apparatus comprised of: 
 an appliance side LAN end station having an appliance IP address;    an appliance control packet generated by the remote network user and including a predefined session port number, an appliance network ID and the control command;    an appliance network server configured to receive the appliance control packet, extract the appliance network ID, lookup a corresponding destination IP address in a mapping table, and forward the appliance control packet to the destination IP address; and    an appliance converter configured to intercept and identify the appliance control packet, extract the control command and assert the control command to the appliance using the appliance communication protocol.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the appliance converter is comprised of: 
 a receive channel filter configured to monitor a session port number and a source IP address of packets transmitted to the appliance side LAN end station in order to identify and intercept the appliance control packet, such that the session port number matches the predefined session port number and the source IP address matches an IP address of the appliance network server;    an appliance receive buffer configured to store the appliance control packet; and    a network format to appliance format unpack unit configured to extract the control command from the appliance control packet and forward the control command to the appliance machine via an appliance communication port, such that the appliance communication port establishes the appliance communication protocol with the appliance to assert the control command.    
     
     
         14 . A method of asserting a control command to an appliance from a remote network user using an appliance communication protocol, the method comprising steps of: 
 detecting an appliance IP address of an appliance side LAN end station;    generating a notification packet including a predefined session port number, the appliance IP address and an appliance network ID;    sending the notification packet to an appliance network server;    receiving the notification packet at the appliance network server, wherein the appliance network server includes a mapping table between a destination network ID and a destination IP address;    generating an appliance control packet including the predefined session port number, the appliance network ID and the control command;    sending the appliance control packet to the appliance network server;    transmitting the appliance packet to the destination IP address looked-up in the mapping table of the appliance network server with the appliance network ID as a key;    intercepting the appliance packet at an appliance converter;    extracting the control command from the appliance packet;    establishing a communication link with the appliance without routing a signal through the PSTN; and    asserting the control command to the appliance using the appliance communication protocol.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the detecting step further includes steps of: 
 intercepting a network packet transmitted by the appliance side LAN end station;    determining a source IP address in a header of the network packet; and    using the source IP address as the appliance IP address.