A method for causing information including at least a FAX message sent via a telephone system to be routed from a receiving station through a multinode computer network to a prespecified network location, the method comprising initiating a telephone call via the telephone system to the receiving station by dialing a telephone number enabling the telephone call to be routed to the receiving station, said telephone number also being sufficient to indicate the network location to which the FAX message is to be routed from the receiving station, passing said telephone number through the telephone system in the form of a telephone address signal as part of the call initiation process by which a telephone connection to the receiving station is established, directing the telephone call being initiated to the receiving station, based on the telephone address signal, answering the telephone call at the receiving station, and receiving at the receiving station at least part of the telephone address signal, storing network location information which associates network locations with telephone address signals, when the connection has been established, sending the FAX message via the telephone system to the receiving station, receiving the sent message at the receiving station and forwarding the received FAX message to a network location based on the telephone address signal. view more

The method of claim 1 wherein the network location is a mailbox associated with an intended recipient.

The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone address signal is a direct inward dialing (DID) telephone address signal.

A receiving station for causing at least a FAX message received via a telephone system to be routed from a receiving station through a multinode computer network to a prespecified network location, each said FAX message being received as a result of a telephone call initiated via the telephone system by a sender dialing a telephone number which enables the telephone call to be routed to the receiving station, said telephone number also being sufficient to indicate a network location to which the FAX message is to be routed from the receiving station, said telephone number being carried through the telephone system in the form of a telephone address signal as part of the call initiation process by which a telephone connection to the receiving station is established, said telephone call being directed to the receiving station, based on the telephone address signal, said receiving station comprising a message receiver for answering the telephone call, receiving the telephone address signal, and, when the call has been established, receiving the FAX message via the telephone system, storage for storing network location information which associates network locations with telephone address signals, said receiving station being arranged to route the received FAX message in accordance with the stored network location based on the telephone address signal. view more

The receiving station of claim 5 wherein said receiver has a telephone port for connection to a DID trunk line.

The receiving station of claim 5 wherein said receiver comprises a circuit board for insertion in a backplane of a personal computer.

A method for causing information including at least a fax message sent via a telephone system to be routed through a multinode computer network between a telephone receiving station and a prespecified network location, the method comprising: initiating a telephone call via the telephone system to the receiving station by dialing a telephone number enabling the telephone call to be routed through a telephone network to the receiving station which is coupled to the telephone system and the computer network, said telephone number also being sufficient to indicate a computer network location; passing said telephone number through the telephone system in the form of a telephone address signal as part of the call initiation process by which a telephone connection to the receiving station is established; directing the telephone call being initiated to the receiving station, based on the telephone address signal; answering the telephone call at the receiving station, and receiving at the receiving station at least part of the telephone address signal; storing computer network location information which associates computer network locations with telephone address signals; and when the connection has been established, sending a fax message between the receiving station and the computer network location based on the telephone address signal. view more

The method of claim 1 wherein the network location is a mailbox associated with an intended recipient.

The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone address signal is a direct inward dialing (DID) telephone address signal.

The method of claim 1 wherein a fax message is retrieved from the network location.