RFC 3297 (rfc3297) - Page 1 of 46

Content Negotiation for Messaging Services based on Email

Network Working Group                                           G. Klyne
Request for Comments: 3297                        Clearswift Corporation
Category: Standards Track                                     R. Iwazaki
                                                             Toshiba TEC
                                                              D. Crocker
                                             Brandenburg InternetWorking
                                                               July 2002


       Content Negotiation for Messaging Services based on Email

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2002).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This memo describes a content negotiation mechanism for facsimile,
   voice and other messaging services that use Internet email.

   Services such as facsimile and voice messaging need to cope with new
   message content formats, yet need to ensure that the content of any
   given message is renderable by the receiving agent.  The mechanism
   described here aims to meet these needs in a fashion that is fully
   compatible with the current behaviour and expectations of Internet
   email.

Table of Contents

   1. Introduction................................................... 3
     1.1 Structure of this document ................................. 4
     1.2 Document terminology and conventions ....................... 4
        1.2.1 Terminology............................................ 4
        1.2.2 Design goals........................................... 5
        1.2.3 Other document conventions............................. 5
   2. Background and goals........................................... 5
     2.1 Background ................................................. 5
        2.1.1 Fax and email.......................................... 5
        2.1.2 Current facilities in Internet Fax..................... 6
     2.2 Closing the loop ........................................... 6



Klyne, et. al.              Standards Track