Facsimile to E-mail communication system with local interface

• US 6,025,931 A
• Filed: 08/20/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OpenPrint LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: E-mate Enterprises, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Bloomfield, Mark C
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Duy M.
• Application Number:
  US08/915,196
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 358/402, 358/400, 358/403, 358/407, 358/442, 358/468, 358/404, 358/434-436, 358/440, 329/58, 329/96, 329/88, 329/100, 329/112-114, 329/118, 329/27
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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 1/00312 with a digital transmission apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, SMS or ISDN device transmitting or receiving via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network or the internet H04N1/00214; transmission of digital information H04L
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33392 Details of handshaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

A fax to E-mail system and related method are shown, whereby a hardcopy document is sent via a fax device to its recipient via electronic mail through a data network (such as the Internet), and is delivered in such a manner that it can be retrieved by the recipient at an E-mail device, in the ordinary course of retrieving the E-mail, and displayed on the screen of the E-mail device. The invention provides for and accomplishes the delivery of a document, which begins as a hardcopy, as an electronic file retrieved through E-mail recipient'"'"'s terminal and displayed on the computer screen of the E-mail recipient'"'"'s terminal. The system and method also provides for an interface device which connects to a conventional fax device for communicating E-mail addresses and routing hardcopy documents to the E-mail network. The invention provides a means for embedding the functions of the interface device into conventional fax devices. The system can also be used in cooperation with Internet Web service for reporting, accounting, information services, and user interaction.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information comprising the steps of:

receiving dial tone at a fax device and at a fax interface device from a common, first communication path connected to a first network;

sending an instruction from the fax interface device to a server instructing the server to enter a fax-to-data mode in which the server will receive a fax image firm the fax device and will transmit a fax image to an e-mail address destination via a second network;

receiving at the interface device an e-mail address associated with a routing scheme of a second network;

conveying the e-mail address via the first communication path and at least the first network to the server;

generating at the fax device a fax image in a first format from a hard copy image;

transmitting the fax image to the server along the first communication path and at least the first network;

converting at the server the fax image in a first format to image data in a second format;

transmitting the image data in the second format from the server to the second network and to the received and conveyed e-mail address destination;

accessing using an e-mail browser a mailbox associated with the e-mail address destination in a manner intended to download electronic mail within the mailbox;

downloading from the mailbox the image data in the second format; and

displaying on a computer screens using the aforementioned e-mail browser, the image data in the second format,

whereby an image representative of the hard copy image originally placed in the fax device is displayed.

2. The Method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

encoding at the remote server the image data in the second format, whereby the image data transmitted to the mailbox is encoded;

and

automatically decoding, using the e-mail browser, the image data in the second format upon downloading from said mailbox.

3. The Method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the image data in the second format comprises the step of creating at the remote server an e-mail message addressed to the received address, which e-mail message includes as part thereof the image data in the second format.

4. The Method of claim 3, wherein the creating step includes the steps of:

creating an information portion including, at least, delivery information and a comment to the recipient; and

associating the image data in the second format with the E-mail message portion as an attachment.

5. The Method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the image data in a second format comprises the step of appending at the remote server the image data in the second format to information portion indicating the sender and the destination address.

6. The Method of claim 1, further comprising the step of translating the image data in the second format from the second network to a personal computer device of a recipient, wherein the recipient is associated with the received and conveyed address.

7. The Method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the image data in the second format comprises the step of creating at the remote server an e-mail message addressed to the received address, which e-mail message includes as part thereof the image data in the second format.

8. The Method of claim 7, wherein the creating step includes the steps of:

creating an information portion including, at least, delivery information and a comment to the recipient; and

associating the image data in the second format with the E-mail message portion as an attachment.

9. The Method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the image data in a second format comprises the step of appending at the remote server the image data in the second format to the information portion indicating the sender and the destination address.