Authenticated Facsimile Transmission From Mobile Devices

• US 20100128291A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Inventors: Shmunis, Valdmir, Vendrow, Vlad
• Granted Patent: US 8,780,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.900
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A fax document can be either uploaded to a fax server in a vPBX network or generated dynamically. For dynamic generation, pre-configured templates can be stored either on a mobile device or on a fax server. A user can use a mobile device connected to a vPBX network as a controlling device to direct generation of faxes on a fax server. The generation of faxes can be customized based on a geographic location of the mobile device. The generated fax can be downloaded onto a mobile device. The user can digitally sign the fax using a touch-screen input device on the mobile device. The digitally signed fax can be transmitted to a destination device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for transmitting faxes from a mobile device, the method comprising:

identifying a fax document template;

generating a fax document based on the identified template;

receiving a digital signature from a user interface of the mobile device;

authenticating the generated fax document with the received digital signature; and

transmitting the authenticated fax document to one or more destinations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fax document template is created on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

generating a signature image by tracing a finger movement on a touch screen interface of the mobile device; and

resizing the signature image to a standard signature size.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

generating a signature image by tracing a waving motion of the mobile device, the waving motion created by a user'"'"'s hand movement, and traced by a motion sensing device integrated with or coupled to the mobile device; and

resizing the signature image to a standard signature size.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

authenticating a user, the authentication comprising;

receiving a user name, a user password, and a user location through a secure communication channel; and

determining that the user possesses signatorial authority based on a pre-determined combination of user name, user password, and user location; and

retrieving a pre-stored signature image for the user in response to the authenticating.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining is further based on a pre-determined time window for authentication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the fax document from a fax document template comprises:

receiving input from the mobile device;

filling in predetermined portions of the fax document template with the received input; and

filling in one or more address fields with a current address of the user, the current address determined by a geographic coordinates of the mobile device and a geographic referencing system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the fax document locks the fax document and prevents the fax document from being modified.

9. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a computer processor, causes the computer processor to perform operations for transmitting faxes from a mobile device, the operations comprising:

identifying a fax document template;

generating a fax document based on the identified template;

receiving a digital signature from a user interface of the mobile device;

authenticating the generated fax document with the received digital signature; and

transmitting the authenticated fax document to one or more destinations.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the fax document template is created on the mobile device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

generating a signature image by tracing a finger movement on a touch screen interface of the mobile device; and

resizing the signature image to a standard signature size.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

generating a signature image by tracing a waving motion of the mobile device, the waving motion created by a user'"'"'s hand movement, and traced by a motion sensing device integrated with or coupled to the mobile device; and

resizing the signature image to a standard signature size.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

authenticating a user, the authentication comprising;

receiving a user name, a user password, and a user location through a secure communication channel; and

determining that the user possesses signatorial authority based on a pre-determined combination of user name, user password, and user location; and

retrieving a pre-stored signature image for the user in response to the authenticating.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the determining is further based on a pre-determined time window for authentication.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein generating the fax document from a fax document template comprises:

receiving input from the mobile device;

filling in predetermined portions of the fax document template with the received input; and

filling in one or more address fields with a current address of the user, the current address determined by a geographic coordinates of the mobile device and a geographic referencing system.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein authenticating the fax document locks the fax document and prevents the fax document from being modified.

17. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor and operable for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations for transmitting faxes from a mobile device, the operations comprising;

identifying a fax document template;

generating a fax document based on the identified template;

receiving a digital signature from a user interface of the mobile device;

authenticating the generated fax document with the received digital signature; and

transmitting the authenticated fax document to one or more destinations.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the fax document template is created on the mobile device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

generating a signature image by tracing a finger movement on a touch screen interface of the mobile device; and

resizing the signature image to a standard signature size.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

generating a signature image by tracing a waving motion of the mobile device, the waving motion created by a user'"'"'s hand movement, and traced by a motion sensing device integrated with or coupled to the mobile device; and

resizing the signature image to a standard signature size.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein receiving a digital signature comprises:

authenticating a user, the authentication comprising;

receiving a user name, a user password, and a user location through a secure communication channel; and

determining that the user possesses signatorial authority based on a pre-determined combination of user name, user password, and user location; and

retrieving a pre-stored signature image for the user in response to the authenticating.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the determining is further based on a pre-determined time window for authentication.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein generating the fax document from a fax document template comprises:

receiving input from the mobile device;

filling in predetermined portions of the fax document template with the received input; and

filling in one or more address fields with a current address of the user, the current address determined by a geographic coordinates of the mobile device and a geographic referencing system.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein authenticating the fax document locks the fax document and prevents the fax document from being modified.