Abstract: A method and apparatus for enhancing the capability of office machines, namely fax machines, includes coupling the office machine to a personal computer and enabling the office machine to access enhanced features supported in the personal computer. After identifying whether the personal computer is available and determining the capabilities it supports, the office machine can operate in an enhanced mode using the resources of the personal computer and can advertise its enhanced capabilities to other machines. The office machine still retains its ability to operate stand-alone mode if the personal computer is not available.

Abstract: An method and system for increasing the compatibility of a fax machine enables one to make a fax machine compatible with at least one other fax machine feature set. The invention includes selecting a compatibility module to handle a fax transmission based on a frame of information provided by another fax machine. The compatibility module interprets this information and maps it to a capabilities object. A messaging protocol module reads this capabilities object to determine the available capabilities.