Fax mail automatic distribution system
First Claim
1. A fax mail automatic distribution system, comprising:
- (a) data and voice modems connected between telephone lines and a computer server,(b) said telephone lines connected to a telephone system and through this connection to remote fax machines,(c) said remote fax machines having voice phone capability which may be a separate touch tone phone connected to the same telephone line,(d) said voice phone capability of the remote fax machine to receive voice commands from said server requesting fax sender to enter destination identification numbers of fax receivers, to end of said destination identification numbers with a "#" sign and to start transmission of fax,(e) said server further connected to a network of local PC'"'"'s,(f) each local PC having capability to send and receive messages and data to and from the server and other PC'"'"'s,(g) a unique personal mail box mapped to each unique individual personal ID number for receiving messages and data,(h) fax data being sent from remote fax machine is connected to a software fax for interpretation with the output of said software fax being routed by the server to a receiving mail box with the address mapped to the personal ID of a fax receiver as provided with the fax and to a receiving message audit pool.(i) said fax data sent to said receiving message audit pool having a privilege level set to control audits for security purposes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to the automatic receipt and distristribution of facsimile mail, herein known as fax mail. It is particularly important in situations where there is a relatively large number fax users and relatively few fax machines to perform the sending and receiving. In this case the manual distribution is cumbersome and slow, and provides little tracking or security. This invention provides a fairly simple method to automatically distribute fax mail to a number of recipient that are network connected to a server or main computer. At the same time the method provides a means for handling fax mail that does not have with it the routing information necessary to automatically route it to the intended recipient. The process also has means to provide tracking and security for auditing purposes.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A fax mail automatic distribution system, comprising:
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(a) data and voice modems connected between telephone lines and a computer server, (b) said telephone lines connected to a telephone system and through this connection to remote fax machines, (c) said remote fax machines having voice phone capability which may be a separate touch tone phone connected to the same telephone line, (d) said voice phone capability of the remote fax machine to receive voice commands from said server requesting fax sender to enter destination identification numbers of fax receivers, to end of said destination identification numbers with a "#" sign and to start transmission of fax, (e) said server further connected to a network of local PC'"'"'s, (f) each local PC having capability to send and receive messages and data to and from the server and other PC'"'"'s, (g) a unique personal mail box mapped to each unique individual personal ID number for receiving messages and data, (h) fax data being sent from remote fax machine is connected to a software fax for interpretation with the output of said software fax being routed by the server to a receiving mail box with the address mapped to the personal ID of a fax receiver as provided with the fax and to a receiving message audit pool. (i) said fax data sent to said receiving message audit pool having a privilege level set to control audits for security purposes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A server for automatic routing of fax mail to a network of connected personal mail boxes, and comprising:
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(a) a router to control the routing of messages and fax data between a data and voice modem and a network of personal mail boxes, (b) said router having detected an incoming fax, requests a voice response module to send a voice signal to sender of the fax requesting a destination ID number for the receiver of the fax, (c) said router detects the destination ID number associated with the fax data and connects the incoming fax data to a software fax to interpret and format the incoming fax data for subsequent usage, (d) said router connects an output of the software fax by means of a network to a local personal computer and to a personal mail box corresponding to the destination ID, (e) said router copies the detail fax data into a receiving message audit pool to be used as an audit trail and sets an audit privilege for security purposes, (f) said router is connected to a control unit and through the control unit to a system supervisor, (g) the control and supervisor units controlling operations such as to insure adequate system resources to handle fax data flowing from the remote fax machine to the receiving personal mail box. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A process for automatic distribution of fax mail, and comprising:
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(a) a fax sender using a remote fax machine having touch tone phone capability and connected to a computing system or server by means of a telephone line, (b) said server further connected by means of a network to multiple personal mail boxes, (c) one or more of the personal mail boxes being a receiver of the fax mail, (d) said fax sender readies the fax to be sent and dials the server with the phone at the sending fax machine, (e) the server being connected to the phone system through a data and voice modem detects the incoming fax phone call and sends a voice response requesting the fax sender to enter a destination ID, (f) said fax sender enters said destination ID on a telephone key pad and the server upon receiving the ID sends a second voice response asking for another destination ID, (g) said fax sender enters another destination ID and again is asked by the server for an additional destination ID, (h) said fax sender continues to enter destination ID'"'"'s until there are none left and then enters a "#" sign on the phone key pad to signify the end of destination ID'"'"'s, (i) the server having received the signal representing said "#" sends a voice response requesting the fax sender to start sending the fax, (j)said fax sender starts the fax machine to send fax data to the server, (k) the server receives the fax and routes it to the personal mail box corresponding to the destination ID, (l) the server copies detail fax information, including source phone number and destination ID, into the receiving message audit pool for auditing purposes and sets auditing privilege level. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification