Importance

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Abstract

In accordance with an adaptive dialing method, a dialer control module controls a modem to place a telephone call to a telephone line and efficiently classify the telephone line, that is, to determine whether a device connected to the telephone line is one or more of a plurality of types of devices, illustratively, a voice telephone, a fax machine or modem, or a data modem. In accordance with the method, the dialer control module can enable the modem to, in one call, determine whether the telephone line is connected to a voice telephone, on the one hand, or a fax machine or modem or a data modem, on the other hand. During the same call if the dialer control module does not determine that the telephone line is connected to a voice telephone, or during a subsequent call if the dialer control module determines that the telephone line is connected to a voice telephone, the dialer control module determines whether the telephone line is also connected to one of a fax machine or modem, on the one hand, or a data modem, on the other hand by enabling the modem to transmit an appropriate tone thereto and determining whether a connection is completed in response. The dialer control module can repeated the last operation using the appropriate tone to determine whether the telephone line is also connected to the other of a fax machine or modem, on the one hand, or a data modem, on the other hand.

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First Claim