Method and system for secure delivery and retrieval of documents utilizing a facsimile machine

• US 20030012379A1
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Foth, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption

Abstract

A system and method for providing secure, on-demand delivery and retrieval of documents, messages and the like utilizing a adaptor coupled to a facsimile machine. A adaptor is coupled between a facsimile machine and a telephone line. A mobile device communicates with the adaptor to allow a user to log onto a document delivery system, via the telephone line, and select a document, message or the like to be printed. The telephone number of the facsimile machine is provided to the data center by the adaptor or mobile device, and the data center then sends the selected documents to the facsimile machine through the adaptor. Alternatively, the data center can encrypt the documents before sending, and a key is used by the adaptor to decrypt the documents prior to sending to the facsimile machine.

Claims

1. A system for remotely retrieving a document comprising:

a facsimile machine coupled to a telephone network;

an adaptor coupled between said telephone network and said facsimile machine; and

a mobile device, said mobile device communicating with said adaptor and causing said adaptor to retrieve said document via said telephone network, said adaptor providing said document to said facsimile machine for printing.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data center to store said document, said data center being coupled to said telephone network.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said document is selected from a plurality of documents stored in said data center.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said adaptor is further configured to receive a document from said mobile device via said communication between said mobile device and said adaptor and send said received document to said data center.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device communicates with said adaptor via a hard-wired communication.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device communicates with said adaptor via a wireless communication.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said wireless communication is an infrared communication.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said wireless communication is a radio frequency communication.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein said wireless communication is automatically established.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein said wireless communication includes inductive coupling.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said document is encrypted before being retrieved by said adaptor, and said adaptor decrypts said encrypted document before providing said document to said facsimile machine.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said adaptor decrypts said encrypted document with a key provided by said mobile device.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a personal data assistant.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a pager.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a laptop computer.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile device is a cell phone.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptor is a portable device.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptor is integral to said facsimile machine.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein said adaptor is further configured to receive a document from said mobile device via said communication between said mobile device and said adaptor and send said received document to said facsimile machine for printing.

20. An adaptor for remotely retrieving a document from a data center and sending said retrieved document to a facsimile machine for printing, said adaptor comprising:

a first port to couple said adaptor to a telephone network;

a second port to couple said adaptor to said facsimile machine;

a first switch circuit having a first, second and third input/output, said first input/output being coupled to said first port, said second input/output being coupled to said second port;

a processor coupled to said third input/output of said first switch circuit, said processor controlling said first switch circuit to connect between said first and second input/outputs or between said first and third input/outputs; and

a coupling device for communicating with a mobile device,

wherein when a communication is established with said mobile device, said first switch circuit connects said first and third input/outputs thereby coupling said processor with said data center, said document is selected from said data center via said communication between said mobile device and said adaptor, after said document is selected said first switch circuit connects said first and second input/outputs thereby coupling said data center to said facsimile machine, and said data center sends said selected document to said facsimile machine through said first switch circuit.

21. The adaptor according to claim 20, further comprising:

a modem coupled between said third input/output of said first switch circuit and said processor.

22. The adaptor according to claim 20, wherein said coupling device is a connector.

23. The adaptor according to claim 20, wherein said coupling device is an infrared detector/emitter.

24. The adaptor according to claim 20, wherein said coupling device is a radio frequency receiver/transmitter.

25. The adaptor according to claim 20, wherein said coupling device is an inductive coupling receiver/transmitter.

26. The adaptor according to claim 20, further comprising:

a second switch circuit having a first and second input/output, said first input/output being coupled to said processor, said second input/output being coupled to said second port,

wherein said data center sends said selected document to said facsimile machine through said first switch circuit, said processor and said second switch circuit.

27. The adaptor according to claim 26, wherein said document is decrypted by said processor before being sent to said facsimile machine.

28. The adaptor according to claim 27, further comprising:

a memory device coupled to said processor, said memory device storing a key used by said processor to decrypt said document.

29. The adaptor according to claim 26, further comprising:

a second modem coupled between said processor and said first input/output of said second switch circuit.

30. The adaptor according to claim 20, wherein said adaptor is further configured to receive a document from said mobile device via said communication between said mobile device and said adaptor and send said received document to said data center.

31. The adaptor according to claim 20, wherein said adaptor is further configured to receive a document from said mobile device via said communication between said mobile device and said adaptor and send said received document to said facsimile machine.

32. A method for remotely retrieving and printing a selected document stored in a data center, said data center being coupled to a telephone network, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling a adaptor to said telephone network between said data center and a facsimile machine;

establishing a communication between a mobile device and said data center via said adaptor and said telephone network;

selecting a document stored in said data center using said mobile device;

sending said selected document to said facsimile machine through said adaptor; and

printing said selected document at said facsimile machine.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said step of selecting a document further comprises:

selecting a document from a plurality of documents stored in said data center.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein before said step of sending said selected document, said method further comprises:

encrypting said selected document.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein said step of sending said selected document further comprises:

sending said encrypted selected document to said adaptor;

decrypting said encrypted selected document at said adaptor; and

sending said decrypted selected document to said facsimile machine.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein said step of decrypting further comprises:

obtaining a key from said mobile device; and

using said key to decrypt said encrypted selected document.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein said step of establishing a communication further comprises:

establishing a hard-wired communication between said adaptor and said mobile device.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein said step of establishing a communication further comprises:

establishing a wireless communication between said adaptor and said mobile device.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said wireless communication is an infrared communication.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein said wireless communication is a radio frequency communication.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein said wireless communication is established automatically.

42. The method according to claim 38, wherein said wireless communication includes inductive coupling.

43. The method according to claim 32, wherein said step of selecting a document further comprises:

retrieving a header for each of a plurality of documents stored in said data center; and

selecting said document from said plurality of documents.

44. The method according to claim 32, wherein said adaptor is a portable device.

45. The method according to claim 32, wherein said mobile device is a personal data assistant.

46. The method according to claim 32, wherein said mobile device is a pager.

47. The method according to claim 32, wherein said mobile device is a laptop computer.

48. The method according to claim 32, wherein said mobile device is a cell phone.