Interactive facsimile system and method of information retrieval
First Claim
1. A FAX server apparatus for interactively providing requested portions of stored information to an inquiring CCITT FAX transceiver by means of a machine readable information selector sheet marked by the requesting party and transmitted by the inquiring FAX transceiver to the FAX server via telephone lines, said FAX server comprising:
- CCITT modem means for communicating with said CCITT FAX transceiver to electronically receive said transmitted selector sheet and to transmit the requested information;
machine readable means for interpreting the machine readable markings on the selector sheet received by said CCITT modem means;
memory means for storing the information from which the requestor can select; and
retrieval means under the control of said machine readable means for retrieving the information requested by the requesting party from said memory means and coupling the retrieved information to said CCITT modem means.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention allows unmodified CCITT Group 3 and 4 facsimile transceivers to interactively select and retrieve facsimile pages from a shared facsimile data base FAX serve system ("FAX server"). The remote facsimile transceiver user marks a paper selector sheet forms using a pencil or pen. The selector sheet is transmitted via the remote facsimile transmitter, preferably in a turn-around polling mode, to the FAX server unit. The FAX server unit processes the facsimile signal rapidly, interpreting the selector sheet and selecting the pages desired to be retrieved prior to the normal CCITT Recommendation T.30 timeout, which would otherwise abort the line connection. The invention allows the requested information to be returned during the same telephone call. If turn-around polling is not available, then the FAX server initiates alternative strategies culminating in an automatic callback with the information desired. The capability created allows facsimile transceivers to be used as interactive terminals for selective retrieval of text and graphics, without requiring alphanumeric keyboard interaction or the need for manual intervention.
305 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A FAX server apparatus for interactively providing requested portions of stored information to an inquiring CCITT FAX transceiver by means of a machine readable information selector sheet marked by the requesting party and transmitted by the inquiring FAX transceiver to the FAX server via telephone lines, said FAX server comprising:
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CCITT modem means for communicating with said CCITT FAX transceiver to electronically receive said transmitted selector sheet and to transmit the requested information; machine readable means for interpreting the machine readable markings on the selector sheet received by said CCITT modem means; memory means for storing the information from which the requestor can select; and retrieval means under the control of said machine readable means for retrieving the information requested by the requesting party from said memory means and coupling the retrieved information to said CCITT modem means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A FAX server apparatus for providing requested portions of stored information to a selected CCITT FAX transceiver, said information being requested by means of a touch-tone telephone, said CCITT FAX transceiver and touch-tone telephone being connected to the FAX server via telephone lines, said FAX server comprising:
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decoder means for decoding touch-tone signals received from the telephone line; interpreter means coupled to the decoder means for converting said the touch-tone signals into commands that uniquely correspond to the requested information and; memory means for storing the information from which the request can be made; retrieval means under the control of said interpreter means for retrieving the information requested from said memory means; and CCITT modem means for communicating with said CCITT FAX transceiver to electronically transmit the requested information to the CCITT FAX transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A FAX server apparatus for providing requested portions of stored information to a selected CCITT FAX transceiver, said information being requested by means of a telephone, said FAX transceiver and telephone being connected to the FAX server via telephone lines, said FAX server comprising:
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voice recognition means for interpreting voice sounds received from the telephone line and converting them into commands to allow the user to request selected portions of the stored information by voice transmission; memory means for storing the information from which the request can be made; retrieval means under the control of said voice recognition means for retrieving the information requested from said memory means; and CCITT modem means for communicating with said CCITT FAX transceiver to electronically transmit the requested information to the CCITT FAX transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of information retrieval comprising the steps of:
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a. marking a selector sheet to define the information requested; b. transmitting the selector sheet of step a. via a CCITT FAX transceiver having a turnaround polling capability; c. analyzing the selector sheet transmitted in step b. to determine the information requested; d. transmitting a direction reversal signal to the CCITT FAX transceiver within the timing constraints window allowed by CCITT Recommendation T.30; and e. transmitting the requested information to the FAX transceiver of step b.
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Specification