Method and system for facilitating paper to electronic communications

• US 20060232813A1
• Filed: 02/06/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Messaging Technologies, Inc. (J2 Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mongonet
• Inventors: Fortescue, Christopher L., Henry, Matthew K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• 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 1/0036 Alphanumeric symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00363 Bar codes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00366 Marks in boxes or the like, e.g. crosses or blacking out H04N1/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00371 on a separate sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00374 on the same page as at least a part of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32026 Changing the receiver mode of operation, e.g. paper reception to memory reception or vice versa H04N1/32673 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32032 Polling of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32042 with reading of job-marks on a page
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32048 Auto-dialling or Auto-calling H04N1/32053 - H04N1/32074 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32064 Multi-address calling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 : in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32422 : Reprocessing messages, e.g. in case the intended destination is busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32496 : Changing the task performed, e.g. reading and transmitting, receiving and reproducing, copying facsimile mode changing H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32776 : using an interactive, user-operated device, e.g. a computer terminal, mobile telephone H04N1/32782, H04N1/32784 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0017 : Notifying a communication result
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 : Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 : Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 : Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 : Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 : of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3218 : of a confirmation, acknowledgement or receipt
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 : of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission

Abstract

A method for a computer system includes receiving a fax from a user comprising a digitized document and a billing telephone number associated with the user, wherein the digitized document includes a digitized transmission page including a digitized recipient e-mail address, and wherein a receiving number over which the fax is received is associated with a pay-per-use service, optically recognizing characters of the recipient e-mail address from the digitized e-mail address, determining an attachment in a format suitable for attachment to an e-mail message from the digitized document, sending an e-mail message comprising an e-mail attachment portion including the attachment, an e-mail TO portion including the recipient e-mail address, and an e-mail body portion including a service provider identifier, and submitting a service charge associated with the pay-per-use service against the billing telephone number.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A computer system comprises:

a receiving portion configured to receive a facsimile transmission comprising a digitized representation of a document from a user using a facsimile transmission device and comprising a billing telephone number associated with the facsimile transmission device, wherein the digitized representation of the document includes a digitized representation of a transmission page, wherein the digitized representation of the transmission page includes a digitized representation of an e-mail address for a recipient, and wherein a receiving telephone number over which the facsimile transmission is configured to be received is associated with a pay-per-use service;

an optical character recognition portion configured to determine the e-mail address for the recipient in response to the digitized representation of the e-mail address for the recipient;

a formatting portion configured to determine an attachment in response to the digitized representation of the document, wherein the attachment is in a format suitable for attachment to an e-mail message; and

a sending portion configured to send an e-mail message comprising an e-mail attachment portion, an e-mail TO portion, and an e-mail body portion, wherein the e-mail attachment portion comprises the attachment, wherein the e-mail TO portion comprises the e-mail address for the recipient, and wherein the e-mail body portion comprises an indication of a service provider, and

wherein a service charge associated with the pay-per-use service may be charged against the billing telephone number.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the service charge may be charged to the user via a telephone bill associated with the billing telephone number.

4. The computer system of claim 2 further comprising a transmission page storage portion configured to store a copy of the transmission page which may be provided to the user.

5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation the receiving telephone number.

6. The computer system of claim 4 wherein the transmission page storage portion comprises a server configured to provide the transmission page to the user, wherein the server is selected from a group consisting of:

an e-mail server, and a web server.

7. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation of the e-mail address for the recipient at a predetermined location of the transmission page.

8. The computer system of claim 7

wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation of a plurality of character regions;

and

wherein printed representations of characters of the e-mail address for the recipient are located in individual character regions from the plurality of character regions.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the printed representations of the characters of the e-mail address for the recipient are computer-generated.

10. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the format suitable for attachment to an e-mail message is selected from a group consisting of:

an Adobe .pdf format, and a Microsoft Word format.

11. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the formatting portion is also configured to filter-out portions of the digitized representation of the transmission page.

12. A method for a computer system comprises:

receiving a facsimile transmission comprising a digitized representation of a document from a user using a facsimile transmission device and a billing telephone number associated with the facsimile transmission device, wherein the digitized representation of the document includes a digitized representation of a transmission page, wherein the digitized representation of the transmission page includes a digitized representation of an e-mail address for a recipient, and wherein a receiving telephone number over which the facsimile transmission is configured to be received is associated with a pay-per-use service;

performing optical character recognition to determine the e-mail address for the recipient in response to the digitized representation of the e-mail address for the recipient;

determining an attachment in response to the digitized representation of the document, wherein the attachment is in a format suitable for attachment to an e-mail message;

sending an e-mail message comprising an e-mail attachment portion, an e-mail TO portion, and an e-mail body portion, wherein the e-mail attachment portion comprises the attachment, wherein the e-mail TO portion comprises the e-mail address for the recipient, and wherein the e-mail body portion comprises an indication of a service provider, and

submitting a service charge associated with the pay-per-use service against the billing telephone number.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising causing the service charge to be charged to the user via a telephone bill associated with the billing telephone number.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing a copy of a transmission page to the user.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation the receiving telephone number.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein providing the copy of the transmission page to the user is selected from a group consisting of:

providing an e-mail message including the copy of the transmission page to the user, providing a web site including a link to the copy of the transmission page to the user.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the transmission page comprises at least one printed representation of the e-mail address for the recipient at at least one predetermined location on the transmission page.

18. The method of claim 17

wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation of a plurality of character regions;

and

wherein printed representations of characters of the e-mail address for the recipient are located in individual character regions from the plurality of character regions.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the printed representations of the characters of the e-mail address for the recipient are computer-generated.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the format suitable for attachment to an e-mail message is selected from a group consisting of:

an Adobe .pdf format, and a Microsoft Word format.

21. The method of claim 12 wherein

determining the attachment in response to the digitized representation of the document comprises deleting portions of the digitized representation of the transmission page.

22. A method for a computer system comprises:

receiving a facsimile transmission page;

entering an e-mail address of a recipient on the facsimile transmission page;

dialing a receiving telephone number associated with a facsimile server from a facsimile transmission device associated with a billing telephone number, wherein the receiving telephone number is associated with a pay-per-use service;

sending a facsimile transmission via the facsimile transmission device to the facsimile server, wherein the facsimile transmission includes a digitized representation of a document comprising a digitized representation of the facsimile transmission page including a digitized representation of the e-mail address of the recipient;

wherein an e-mail message is sent to the e-mail address of the recipient and includes an e-mail attachment determined in response to the digitized representation of the document;

wherein characters of the e-mail address for the recipient is recognized optically in response to the digitized representation of the e-mail address for the recipient;

wherein the e-mail attachment is in a format suitable for attachment to the e-mail message;

wherein and a body of the e-mail message comprises an indication of a service provider, and

wherein a service charge associated with the pay-per-use service is charged against the billing telephone number.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the service charge is charged to a telephone bill associated with the billing telephone number.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation the receiving telephone number.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein receiving the transmission page is selected from a group consisting of:

receiving an e-mail message including the copy of the transmission page, downloading the transmission page from a web site.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation of the e-mail address for the recipient at a predetermined location on the transmission page.

27. The method of claim 26

wherein the transmission page comprises a printed representation of a plurality of character regions;

and

wherein entering the e-mail address of the recipient comprises providing representations of characters of the e-mail address for the recipient in individual character regions from the plurality of character regions.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein providing representations of characters of the e-mail address for the recipient comprises using a keyboard to enter characters of the e-mail address for the recipient.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the format suitable for attachment to an e-mail message is selected from a group consisting of:

an Adobe .pdf format, and a Microsoft Word format.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein receiving the facsimile transmission page comprises:

receiving an electronic representation of the facsimile transmission page; and

printing-out the facsimile transmission page on a printer.

31. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

receiving a confirmation that the e-mail message was sent to the e-mail address of the recipient, wherein the confirmation is selected from a group consisting of;

a facsimile confirmation and an e-mail confirmation.