Abstract: A method and system for obtaining the capabilities of a facsimile machine. In facsimile transmission systems which utilize a communication medium in which a direct connection does not exist between the transmitting facsimile machine and the receiving facsimile machine, such as the Internet, there is usually not a polling of the capabilities of the receiving facsimile machine by the transmitting facsimile machine during the process of transmitting a communication. There is a communication over the Internet, for example, by way of an Internet electronic mail message, which requests the capabilities of the receiving fax machine. A response e-mail is transmitted so that the capabilities of the receiving facsimile machine are sent to the transmitting facsimile machine. The facsimile machines involved are not necessarily connected directly to the Internet but may be connected through transfer stations.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus in an ISDN system form a setup message at a source ISDN terminal where the setup message includes a resource coordination message containing the communication attributes of the source terminal. The ISDN source terminal sends the setup message to an ISDN switch, where the ISDN switch implements a central resource coordination mechanism that extracts the source terminal attribute information. The ISDN switch sends an inquiry message over a D channel to a destination terminal so as to ascertain the communication attributes of the destination terminal, which are reported to the ISDN switch in a reply message. In light of the communication attributes of the source terminal and destination terminal, the ISDN switch and central resource coordination mechanism therein, compares and allocates ISDN communication resources and identifies common attributes.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus in an ISDN system form a setup message at a source ISDN terminal where the setup message includes a resource coordination message containing the communication attributes of the source terminal. The ISDN source terminal sends the setup message using a synchronous protocol to an ISDN switch, where the ISDN switch implements a central resource coordination mechanism that extracts the source terminal attribute information. The ISDN switch sends an inquiry message over a D channel to a destination terminal so as to ascertain the communication attributes of the destination terminal, which are reported to the ISDN switch in a reply message. In light of the communication attributes of the source terminal and destination terminal, the ISDN switch and central resource coordination mechanism therein, compares and allocates ISDN communication resources and identifies common attributes.