Title of Invention

A METHOD OF TRANSMITTING MULTIPLE PAGES IN A FAX MACHINE

Abstract

The invention proposes a method of multi page fax transmission which is unique. The present invention will transmit these scanned pages in terms of 2, 4,... n pages per sheet depending on the type of image and resolution selected so that the data to be transmitted over PSTN can be reduced by achieving same quality. This helps in reducing the time and cost taken for fax transmission. At the same time the received pages can be printed directly as multi pages per sheet or by reverting back to single page per sheet.

Full Text

The present invention in general relates to facsimile communication. Further, this invention relates to transmission of multiple pages by fax. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of multi pages fax transmission. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART In the existing method, each page of the document is scanned, compressed and sent to remote machine depending on user-selected parameters such as resolution and data format as single page per sheet. At the receiver end again this will be decompressed and printed as single page per sheet as shown in Figure 1. In the existing method, each page is transmitted as single sheet. This leads to increase in the size of the image and hence it involves unnecessary huge cost and time even though the image is simple text image. Therefore, for large documents with substantially high number of pages, the cost of facsimile transmission by the conventional method will also be substantially high. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the invention is to invent a method of multi page fax transmission, which is unique. It is another object of the invention to invent a method of multi page fax transmission which reduces the size of images to be transmitted by 15 to 30% which results in saving the time and cost of transmission over PSTN. It is another object of the invention to invent a method by which the received pages will be printed directly as multi pages per sheet or by reverting back to single page per sheet. In the existing fax transmission, each page is sent as single page per sheet Irrespective of resolution selected and type of image. But the present invention will transmit these scanned pages in terms of 2, 4,... n pages per sheet depending on the type of image and resolution selected so that the data to be transmitted over PSTN can be reduced by achieving same quality. The image quality remains same for higher resolutions and MMR or JBIG data format This also helps in reducing the time and cost taken for fax transmission. At the same time the received pages can be printed directly as multi pages per sheet or by reverting back to single page per sheet. Accordingly the present invention relates to a method of transmitting multiple pages in a fax machine wherein the pages are loaded into a scanner tray for scanning and for subsequent compression of the scanned data and configuring the said transmission characterized in that the said configuration involves selecting multiple pages to be put in one sheet and associating parameters for the pages using an user interface and further transmitting the said pages to receiving end with page information where the transmitted data is received and converts the multiple pages per sheet into single page per sheet for printing after decompression. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a flow chart for present method. Figure 2 shows an existing implementation Figure 3 shows proposed invention implementation method. Figure 4 shows a comparison between the present method and the proposed method of fax transmission. Figure 5 shows a flow chart for the proposed invention method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. Figure 1 represents a conventional method of transmitting a scanned data. Here first the documents are loaded into the scanner tray. User selects the information such as resolution, data format etc. According to the information given each page of the document is scanned and then the existing codec technique is used to compress the scanned pages. The scanned compressed information is sent to the remote machine where the information is decompressed and printed as single page per sheet. Figure 2 shows the functional blocks which are involved in the prior art. Here a user interface is involved where the user can interact with the machine to provide the required inputs. The information given may be resolution, data format etc. Then the scanner scans each page of the document. Then the existing codec technique is used to compress the scanned information. Then existing T.30 standard (ITU-T standard for transmission over PSTN) is used for transmitting the information to the receiver. At the receiving end existing codec technique is used for decompressing the information sent. Then the print module prints the received fax image. Figure 3 gives the implementation of the proposed invention. Here, through the user interface the user interact with the machine. Additionally we can select the number of pages per sheet to be transmitted using this interface. Then the scanner scans and compresses the information using the codec technique. Additionally a reduce/enlarge module can reduce the compressed image and arrange the pages as multiple pages. Also it can enlarge the multiple pages into single page at the receiving end. There is a T.30 module used to send the scanned information to the receiving end where it can be decompressed and printed. Here the T.30 engine transmits the required information of reduction ratio, number of pages in a sheet etc. to the remote machine in form of NSF. Figure 4 gives a comparison between the existing method (Prior art) and the proposed invention. In first part of the figure single page per sheet is transmitted and in second part multiple pages per sheet are sent to remote machine. Figure 5 represent the flow chart of the proposed invention. First the documents are scanned into scanner tray. Selection is made for the number of pages to be put in one sheet using User Interface. Also other information like resolution, data format etc are selected. Then the documents are scanned and compressed. Multiple pages are put into one sheet depending on user selection by reducing the image dimension. This is done through a user interface. Then start transmitting the pages with page information like end of page location, reduction ratio, number of pages in a sheet etc. through NSF field of T.30 protocol. The sent data is received at the other end. Then the information from NSF about received sheet is obtained. Then depending on user selection conversion of multiple pages per sheet into single pages per sheet (single pages per sheet or as it is received) takes place. Finally the information is decompressed and printed. User Interface: Selection of number of pages per sheet need to be added to existing Ul module. Scanner: The scanner is used to scan the document. Codec: Codec is used to compress or decompress the scanned or received image respectively. Reduce/ Enlarge: The existing module is used to reduce compressed image and arrange the pages as multiple pages or to enlarge the multiple pages into single pages in a sheet T.30: The existing T.30 engine is modified to transmit the required information like reduction ration, number of pages in a sheet, etc. to remote machine. Printer: The printer module is used to print the received fax image. Operation of the Invention In the existing method each page of the document is scanned, compressed and sent to remote machine depending on user selected resolution and data format as single page per sheet. At the receiver end again this will be decompressed and printed as single page per sheet as shown in Figure 1. In proposed invention user will select the number of pages per sheet along with resolution and data format (existing selections) before scanning the actual document. The selected pages will be scanned, compressed and kept in memory similar to existing method. After that the pages will be arranged by reducing the image size into multiple pages per sheet. Consider there are 2 pages per sheet, then the first image is reduced by 50% using scalar functionality and placed in first half of the page and next image is again reduced by 50% and placed in second half of the sheet. The reduction depends on the size of the paper scanned. Then this is compressed and sent to remote machine. During communication with the remote machine the information like number of pages in a sheet, reduction ration etc will be transmitted to remote machine using NSF commands of T.30 standard (ITU-T standard for Fax transmission over PSTN). The information like resolution, data format etc are transmitted through DCS command as in existing system. So once the receiver machine receives the image data and its related information, the image will be decompressed and reverted back to single page per sheet by enlarging the each page depending on the size of the sheet, reduction ration and number of pages per sheet using scalar feature of hardware chip and printed after decompressing each page. In fact user can still print the image as he/she receives (i.e. multi page per sheet) or by reverting back to single page per sheet. By implementing this method user can save PSTN cost and hence time to transmit multiple page document as the size of the image is going to reduce 15 to 30 % depending on data format and resolution for scanning is selected. Also if user wants then, paper can be saved by printing directly in terms of multiple pages per sheet. The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS DCS: Digital Command Signal ITU-T: International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication JBIG: Joint Bi level Image Experts Group (compression technique) MFP; Multi Function Peripherals. MMR: Modified Read (compression technique) NSF: Non Standard Facilities PSTN: Public switch telephone network. Ul: User Interface 1. A method of multi-page fax transmission wherein the pages are loaded into a scanner tray for scanning and for subsequent compression of the scanned data and configuring the said transmission characterized in that the said configuration involves selecting multiple pages to be put in one sheet and associating parameters for the pages using an user interface and further transmitting the said pages to receiving end with page information where the transmitted data is received and converts the multiple pages per sheet into single page per sheet for printing after decompression. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein selecting the number of pages to be put in one sheet is made using an user interface. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein multiple pages, which are scanned and compressed, are put in one sheet depending on user selection by reducing the image dimension. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein transmitting the pages to the receiving end with page information involves information such as end of page, reduction ratio, and number of pages in a sheet. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein transmitting the multiple pages into single page is done by reducing each page through a Reduce/enlarge module. 6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein printing the image as received can be made as single page per sheet based on user selection. 7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein printing the images as received can be made as multiple pages per sheet wherein the number of images per sheet is based on user selection. 8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the associating parameters involves page resolution and data format. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receiving sheet information is obtained at the receiving end using NSF. 10. A method of multi-page fax transmission such as herein substantially described particularly with reference to the accompanying figures 3 and 5.

Documents:

168-che-2005-abstract.pdf

168-che-2005-claims filed.pdf

168-che-2005-claims granted.pdf

168-che-2005-correspondnece-others.pdf

168-che-2005-correspondnece-po.pdf

168-che-2005-description(complete)filed.pdf

168-che-2005-description(complete)granted.pdf

168-che-2005-drawings.pdf

168-che-2005-form 1.pdf

168-che-2005-form 13.pdf

168-che-2005-form 18.pdf

168-che-2005-form 26.pdf

168-che-2005-form 9.pdf