Method and system for dynamic control of a messaging environment from a facsimile processor

• US 5,920,404 A
• Filed: 03/14/1997
• Issued: 07/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus Software, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Weiser, Russel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAWAN, SHEELA C
• Application Number:
  US08/818,329
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/403, 358/405, 358/407, 358/434, 358/435, 358/436, 358/438, 358/439, 358/440, 358/468, 380/18
• US Class Current: 358/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• 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 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0013 Arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus H04N2201/0074; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a messaging environment from a remote facsimile processor. The system includes a processing module and a document routing system which interact to transfer messages into and out of a messaging environment under the direction and control of a remote facsimile processor.

Claims

1. A method for controlling from a first facsimile processor a messaging environment coupled to a second facsimile processor, comprising:

inserting a user identifier into a first subfield of a communications data field, said user identifier comprising an alphanumeric code associated with a user known to the messaging environment and said communications data field comprising a location in a data structure relating to the transfer of information;

inserting a dynamic function code into a second subfield of the communications data field, said dynamic function code comprising an alphanumeric code associated with at least one of a plurality of different tasks capable of being performed in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor;

communicating the communications data field from the first facsimile processor to the second facsimile processor over a communications channel between the first and second facsimile processors;

examining the user identifier and the dynamic function code; and

using the dynamic function code communicated to the second facsimile processor to control the performance of the at least one of a plurality of different tasks in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating an image from the first facsimile processor to the second facsimile processor, and wherein the dynamic function code is used to control the transfer of the image to a location within the messaging environment.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising generating and communicating to a device coupled to the messaging environment a notification of the existence of the image.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the location is one of a printer apparatus, a document storage repository and an electronic mail system.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising inserting a security code into a third subfield of the communications data field.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the messaging environment validating the security code as a function of the user identifier.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the validating comprises searching a database containing user identifiers and corresponding security code values, extracting the security code value corresponding to the user identifier in the first subfield, and comparing the security code value to the security code in the third subfield.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second subfields can have a variable length, and are separated by a delimiter character.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by a document routing module, the dynamic function code from the second facsimile processor, and communicating with the second facsimile processor to perform the at least one of a plurality of different tasks in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communication data field comprises a handshake data field.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the handshake data field comprises a TSI data field.

25. A computer readable medium storing a set of instructions for implementing and executing the method according to claim 1.

10. A system for controlling from a first facsimile processor a messaging environment coupled to a second facsimile processor, comprising:

a first facsimile processor operative to insert a user identifier into a first subfield of a communications data field, and to insert a dynamic control code into a second subfield of the communications data field, said user identifier comprising an alphanumeric code associated with a user known to the messaging environment, said communications data field comprising a location in a data structure relating to the transfer of information, and said dynamic control code comprising an alphanumeric code associated with at least one of a plurality of different tasks capable of being performed in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor;

a second facsimile processor coupled to the first facsimile processor via a communications channel;

the first facsimile processor operative to communicate the communications data field over the communications channel to the second facsimile processor; and

a messaging subsystem operative to selectively perform the at least one of a plurality of different tasks in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor as a function of the dynamic control code.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the messaging subsystem comprises a processing module in the second facsimile processor being operative to generate a control packet as a function of the dynamic control code, and a document routing module being operative to receive the control packet and initiate the transfer of a message to a location within the messaging environment.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message is communicated to the second facsimile processor by the first facsimile processor, and wherein the message is transferred to a storage location in the messaging environment as a function of the dynamic control code.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the message resides in a location in the messaging environment, and wherein as a function of the dynamic control code the message is transferred from the location to the second facsimile processor, and communicated by the second facsimile processor to the first facsimile processor.

14. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a directory services, the directory services being operative to contain attributes associated with the user identifier.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the communications data field comprises a third subfield, and wherein the first facsimile processor is operative to insert a user-entered security value into the third subfield.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the document routing module is operative to access the directory services as a function of the user-entered security value, and operative to retrieve from the directory services a messaging environment security value associated with the user, and wherein the document routing module is operative to determine if the user-entered security value matches the messaging environment security value.

17. A system for controlling from a first facsimile processor a messaging environment coupled to a second facsimile processor, comprising:

means for inserting into a first subfield of a communications data field a user identifier comprising an alphanumeric code associated with a user known to the messaging environment, said communications data field comprising a location in a data structure relating to the transfer of information;

means for inserting into a second subfield of a communications data field a dynamic function code, said dynamic function code comprising an alphanumeric code associated with at least one of a plurality of tasks capable of being performed in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor;

means for communicating the communications data field from the first facsimile processor to the second facsimile processor over a communications channel between the first and second facsimile processors; and

means for selectively performing the at least one of a plurality of tasks in the messaging environment as a function of the dynamic function code.

18. A system according to claim 17, further comprising document routing means for communicating with the second facsimile processor, the document routing means being operative to control the transfer of a message communicated by the first facsimile processor to the second facsimile processor to a location within the messaging environment as a function of the dynamic function code.

19. A system according to claim 17, further comprising document routing means for communicating with the second facsimile processor, the document routing means being operative to control the transfer of a message from within the messaging environment to the first facsimile processor via the second facsimile processor as a function of the dynamic function code.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein the means for selectively performing one of the plurality of tasks comprises the first facsimile processor having a processing module, a document routing module being coupled to the processing module and to the messaging environment, and the processing module and document routing module being operative to interact with one another to selectively perform the one of the plurality of tasks.

21. A system for controlling from a first facsimile processor a messaging environment coupled to a second facsimile processor, comprising:

a first facsimile processor operative to insert a user identifier associated with a user known to the messaging environment into a first subfield of a communications data field, to insert a dynamic control code into a second subfield of the communications data field, and to insert a user-entered security value into a third subfield of the communications data field;

a second facsimile processor coupled to the first facsimile processor via a communications channel;

the first facsimile processor operative to communicate the communications data field over the communications channel to the second facsimile processor;

a messaging subsystem operative to selectively perform at least one of a plurality of different tasks in the messaging environment coupled to the second facsimile processor as a function of the dynamic control code, said messaging subsystem comprising a processing module in the second facsimile processor being operative to generate a control packet as a function of the dynamic control code, and a document routing module being operative to receive the control packet and initiate the transfer of a message to a location within the messaging environment; and

a directory services operative to contain attributes associated with the user identifier.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the document routing module is operative to access the directory services as a function of the user-entered security value, and operative to retrieve from the directory services a messaging environment security value associated with the user, and wherein the document routing module is operative to determine if the user-entered security value matches the messaging environment security value.