Method of encoding an E-mail address in a fax message and routing the fax message to a destination on a network

• US 5,115,326 A
• Filed: 06/26/1990
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Marvin, John S., Burgess, Ken L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US07/543,998
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 358/440, 358/467, 358/402-403, 382/61
• US Class Current: 358/440
• 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 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/00363 Bar codes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00371 on a separate sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00379 Means for enabling correct scanning of a mark sheet or area, e.g. registration or timing marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00681 Detecting the presence, position or size of a sheet or correcting its position before scanning H04N1/047 takes precedence; mode signalling H04N1/333; skew detection or correction in image signals H04N1/3878
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00721 Orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00771 Indicating or reporting, e.g. issuing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32042 with reading of job-marks on a page
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/002 Selecting or switching between an image communication channel and a non-image communication channel

Abstract

A fax message transmitted by a facsimile transmitter includes bar coded headers in its first page. At least one of these headers contains the name of an addressee that is also a user on a network. A fax server receiving the incoming fax message inspects the first page of the incoming facsimile to locate the bar coded headers. If a TO: header is found it is used to determine the corresponding E-mail address, and the fax is automatically routed as E-mail on the network to the addressee. Any other headers, such as a FROM: or SUBJECT: header have their bar coded content converted to ASCII and attached as ASII strings to the first page for easy inspection. An asymmetrical nature of the bar code used allows the fax server to determine which of a left-to-right or right-to-left scanning direction produces valid bar code. This in turn indicates whether the headers for the first page are right side up or upside down. By implication, this determines the orientation for the entire fax document. If the document is found to be upside down the fax server erects the document before mailing it to the addressee. The fax server or some other application running on a computer served by the network may be the addressee, and if the incoming fax is a request for information (whether by further bar code or check marks in predefined fields) the information may simply be sent by return fax to the sender, perhaps as part of the same phone call.

Claims

1. A method of routing the digitally encoded facsimile representation of a document to a destination on a network, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning in opposing directions a selected page of the document for bar code;

detecting the presence of a selected bar code cipher in a selected location within the scanned bar code, the selected cipher being asymmetrical when scanned from opposing directions;

converting a remaining portion of the scanned bar code into an address suitable for use in addressing a destination location on the network;

erecting the pages of a document that is upside down in response to the detecting step being successful upon a bar code scanned in a selected direction; and

sending the document to the destination location on the network.

2. A method of addressing a document to be transmitted to an addressable destination on a network, the method comprising the steps of:

expressing the address of a destination on a network as a visual bar coded image upon a page of a document to be transmitted by facsimile;

encoding the document according to a format for the digital transmission by facsimile;

sending the encoded document to a fax server connected to a network upon which the destination address is located;

scanning a selected page of the document for bar code;

detecting the presence of a selected bar code cipher in a selected location within the scanned bar code;

converting a remaining portion of the scanned bar code into an address suitable for use in addressing a destination location on the network; and

sending the document to the destination location on the network.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the selected cipher is asymmetrical when scanned from opposing directions, wherein the scanning step is performed in opposing directions, and further comprising the step of erecting the pages of a document that is upside down in response to the detecting step being successful upon a bar code scanned in a selected direction.

4. A method comprising the steps of:

storing a digital representation of a document within a computer system at a destination;

transmitting from a sending entity a bar coded request by facsimile to the computer system at the destination;

reading the bar code to determine an action to perform in response to the transmitting of the bar coded request; and

sending by facsimile the digital representation of the document to the sending entity.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the transmitting step includes a bar coded return address, and the sending step uses the bar coded return address in sending the digital representation of the document.

6. A method comprising the steps of:

storing digital representations of a plurality of documents within a computer system at a destination;

transmitting by facsimile from a sending entity a form including a bar coded request for the return transmission of information, indicia corresponding to at least one of the documents in the plurality thereof, and a bar coded return address accessible by facsimile;

reading the bar code request for the return transmission of information;

determining from the indicia at least one digital representation to be sent to the return address; and

sending by facsimile to the return address each digital representation determined in the determining step.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the indicia are formed by the application, prior to the transmitting step, of marks within predefined fields indicated upon the form.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the predefined fields indicated upon the form are associated with human readable labels each specifying a document in the plurality thereof.

9. A method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from a sending entity a bar coded request by facsimile to a computer system at a destination;

reading the bar code to determine an action to perform in response to the transmitting of the bar coded request;

subsequent to the reading step, generating in the computer at the destination a digital representation of a document relating to the action to be performed; and

sending by facsimile the digital representation of the document to the sending entity.