System, method, and apparatus for an interactive virtual fax machine

• US 10,154,159 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Open Text Holdings, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Open Text Holdings, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Toscano, Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Henok A
• Application Number:
  US15/477,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20170208190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1296 Printer job scheduling or printer resource handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00464 using browsers, i.e. interfaces based on mark-up languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for a virtual fax machine are provided. In one embodiment, a system for a virtual fax machine is provided including a computer configured to display a virtual fax machine based on a script, a server configured to receive at least one electronic document associated with a fax to be sent using the virtual fax machine, and a traditional facsimile machine configured to receive the fax to be sent. In another embodiment, an apparatus for a virtual fax machine is provided including a computer configured to locate and execute a script associated with a virtual fax machine, display the virtual fax machine, associate at least one electronic document with a fax to be sent, encode the at least one electronic document to a form suitable for communication over a network, and transmit the encoded electronic document over the network as the fax to be sent.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

stored instructions translatable by the processor to perform;

displaying a client-side scripted virtual fax machine within a network browser on a display of the apparatus, the client-side scripted virtual fax machine having a send paper tray and a send button;

responsive to user interaction with the send paper tray of the client-side scripted virtual fax machine displayed within the network browser, attaching or associating an electronic document to a fax;

responsive to user selection of the send button to send the fax to at least one fax number through the client-side scripted virtual fax machine displayed within the network browser, encoding the electronic document for transmission; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded for the transmission to the at least one fax number.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a packet-switched interface coupled to a packet-switched data network;

wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform;

encoding the electronic document to a first form suitable for transmission over the packet-switched data network via the packet-switched interface; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded in the first form over the packet-switched data network to a server;

wherein the server routes the electronic document encoded in the first form to a facsimile service; and

wherein the facsimile service transcodes the electronic document to a second form suitable for transmission over a public switched telephone network to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a packet-switched interface coupled to a packet-switched data network;

wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform;

encoding the electronic document to a form suitable for transmission over a public switched telephone network; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded in the form over the packet-switched data network to a server;

wherein the server routes the electronic document encoded in the form to a facsimile service; and

wherein the facsimile service transmits the electronic document encoded in the form over the public switched telephone network to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface coupled to a PSTN;

wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform;

encoding the electronic document to a form suitable for transmission over the PSTN; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded in the form via the PSTN interface to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a website host service configured to host web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface coupled to a PSTN;

wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform;

encoding the electronic document, as directed by the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine, to a form suitable for transmission over the PSTN via the PSTN interface to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a packet-switched interface coupled to a packet-switched data network;

wherein the network browser is configured to interpret and display web pages received from a network host service of a server over the packet-switched data network via the packet-switched interface; and

wherein the script engine is configured to interpret, execute, and display scripts embedded in the web pages received from the server and standalone scripts provided by the server.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein

hypertext markup language portions of the web pages are interpreted and displayed directly by the network browser;

and

scripted portions of the web pages and the scripts are interpreted, executed, and displayed by the script engine.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a packet-switched interface coupled to a packet-switched data network;

wherein responsive to a user directing the network browser to access web pages and scripts that are associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine and that are stored on a server, the network browser receives from a network host service of the server a copy of the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine over the packet-switched data network via the packet-switched interlace.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine are accessible using the network browser via a Uniform Resource Locator that specifies a location of the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine on the Internet.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions translatable by a processor to perform:

displaying a client-side scripted virtual fax machine within a network browser on a display, the client-side scripted virtual fax machine having a send paper tray and a send button;

responsive to user interaction with the send paper tray of the client-side scripted virtual fax machine displayed within the network browser, attaching or associating an electronic document to a fax;

responsive to user selection of the send button to send the fax to at least one fax number through the client-side scripted virtual fax machine displayed within the network browser, encoding the electronic document for transmission; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded for the transmission to the at least one fax number.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform:

encoding the electronic document to a first form suitable for transmission over a packet-switched data network; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded in the first form over the packet-switched data network to a server;

wherein the server routes the electronic document encoded in the first form to a facsimile service; and

wherein the facsimile service transcodes the electronic document to a second form suitable for transmission over a public switched telephone network to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform:

encoding the electronic document to a form suitable for transmission over a public switched telephone network; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded in the form over a packet-switched data network to a server;

wherein the server routes the electronic document encoded in the form to a facsimile service; and

wherein the facsimile service transmits the electronic document encoded in the form over the public switched telephone network to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform:

encoding the electronic document to a form suitable for transmission over a public switched telephone network; and

transmitting the electronic document encoded in the form over the public switched telephone network to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores a website host service configured to host web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor to perform:

encoding the electronic document, as directed by the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine, to a form suitable for transmission over a public switched telephone network to a fax machine having a fax number of the at least one fax number.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein

the network browser is configured to interpret and display web pages received from a network host service of a server over a packet-switched data network;

and

the script engine is configured to interpret, execute, and display scripts embedded in the web pages received from the server and standalone scripts provided by the server.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein

hypertext markup language portions of the web pages are interpreted and displayed directly by the network browser;

and

scripted portions of the web pages and the scripts are interpreted, executed, and displayed by the script engine.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein responsive to a user directing the network browser to access web pages and scripts that are associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine and that are stored on a server, the network browser receives from a network host service of the server a copy of the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine over a packet-switched data network.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine are accessible using the network browser via a Uniform Resource Locator that specifies a location of the web pages and scripts associated with the client-side scripted virtual fax machine on the Internet.