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From: hhallika@zeus.calpoly.edu (Harold Hallikainen)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: Re: fax/phone switches ?
Message-ID: <1991Jun8.190706.193207@zeus.calpoly.edu>
Date: 8 Jun 91 19:07:06 GMT
References: <1991Jun4.193711.22400@uwasa.fi> <1991Jun4.225358.3684@athena.mit.edu>
Organization: California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
Lines: 26


	It really seems that all these "little boxes" should be
inside the fax machine.  It seems that with just a software 
(firmware) change, most existing fax machines could possibly
sort out calls based on receiving CNG or receiving or failure
to receive fax carrier, or even detection of DTMF or voice.  
The machines typically do not have a way of generating outgoing
ring signals, but they can make a lot noise 'til someone picks
up the phone.  
	It SHOULD be real easy for fax manufacturers to take
advantage of telco assigning different ring patterns to different
numbers on the same line.  The fax could be programmed to
recognize its pattern and ignore all others.  If the fax machine
includes an existing relay to exclude an attached phone, the
ring signal could be routed to the phone only when the fax 
machine does not recognize its pattern.  Since the fax machine
already has a ring detector in it and may have exclusion contacts
on its existing line relay, no additional hardware is required.
This software change could be promoted by fax manufacturers to
differentiate their product from the rest.

--
Harold Hallikainen              ap621@Cleveland.Freenet.edu
Hallikainen & Friends, Inc.     hhallika@pan.calpoly.edu
141 Suburban Road, Bldg E4      phone 805 541 0200 fax 544 6715
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7590  telex 4932775 HFI UI