Public fax services and system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A facsimile machine having a plurality of operating modes including a receiving mode, said receiving mode comprising:
- means, responsive to a user entering a request to use said receiving mode to receive a facsimile, for generating and outputting a unique security code to said user,means for communicating said unique security code requested by said user to a sender of a facsimile at another facsimile machine, said sender including the unique security code in sending a facsimile to said facsimile machine, andmeans, thereafter responsive to an incoming call connection from said other facsimile machine by said sender, for waiting a predetermined period of time for receipt of said unique security code via said connection, and for receiving a facsimile from said other facsimile machine via said connection only if said unique security code is received from said other facsimile machine during said predetermined period of time.
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Abstract
A public facsimile machine is arranged so that it will only receive an incoming facsimile if the facsimile is preceded by a predetermined security code. In addition, the public facsimile machine is associated with an enhanced facsimile service so that the capabilities provided by such a service, for example, broadcasting a facsimile to a plurality of destinations, may be offered to a user of the public facsimile machine.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A facsimile machine having a plurality of operating modes including a receiving mode, said receiving mode comprising:
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means, responsive to a user entering a request to use said receiving mode to receive a facsimile, for generating and outputting a unique security code to said user, means for communicating said unique security code requested by said user to a sender of a facsimile at another facsimile machine, said sender including the unique security code in sending a facsimile to said facsimile machine, and means, thereafter responsive to an incoming call connection from said other facsimile machine by said sender, for waiting a predetermined period of time for receipt of said unique security code via said connection, and for receiving a facsimile from said other facsimile machine via said connection only if said unique security code is received from said other facsimile machine during said predetermined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A facsimile machine comprising:
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means, responsive to a user entering a request to use said facsimile machine to receive a facsimile from another facsimile machine, for outputting a unique security code to said user, means for communicating said unique security code requested by said user to a sender of a facsimile at said other facsimile machine, said sender including the unique security code in sending a facsimile to said facsimile machine, and means for receiving a call via a communications path and for requesting entry of said unique security code, and for inhibiting the operation of said receiving means if said security code is not received via said communications path prior to receipt of said facsimile. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification