| 摘要 |
A packet-switched facsimile network and method of operation, wherein the network includes a plurality of facsimile stations, and a plurality of nodes for connecting the facsimile stations. The network includes subscribers' transmission channels, such as telephone switched network, for connection to the facsimile stations, and common transmission channels, such as dedicated lines and packet switched network, for connection to the nodes, in order to allow the facsimile stations to communicate with each other. In operation, the part of image data received from a plurality of facsimile stations is formed into data packets at the nodes. Simultaneously, the formed data packets are sent via the common transmission channels to destination nodes, and therefrom to appropriate receiving facsimile stations. It is possible that during transmission, the destination node may transmit image data contained in one data packet, while it has not received the next data packet that contains image data to be sent subsequently, which could cause transmission error. As a result, the destination node selectively inserts fill codes into the image data. In the preferred embodiment, the facsimile network is a packet switching Group 3 facsimile network and the G3 machines can communicate with each other point-to-point, via the packet-switched facsimile network.
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