Fax routing system and method using standard fax machine and personal computer

• US 6,052,445 A
• Filed: 09/04/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OpenPrint LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Infotrieve Inc. (Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bashoura, Joseph Elias, Coudsi, Charles J., Derycz, Peter Victor, Garabet, Fady Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US09/148,640
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100.01, 379/100.03-100.06, 379/100.08, 379/100.09, 379/100.12, 379/100.14, 379/100.15, 379/100.17, 379/93.05-93.07 , 379/130, 358/400, 358/402, 358/407, 358/434-441, 358/468, 370/352, 370/389
• US Class Current: 379/100.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• 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: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/002 : Selecting or switching between an image communication channel and a non-image communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 : Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 : Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 : Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 : of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 : of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A fax routing system and method using a standard fax machine and personal computer. The telephone number is decoded from the telephone number dialing which is generated by the fax machine. This number is looked up in a table. If a corresponding Internet address is found, the fax is downloaded from the fax machine, converted into a computer file, and sent to the recipient via his Internet address. If a corresponding Internet address is not found, the decoded number is dialed on a telephone line and, thereafter, the telephone line is connected to the fax machine for normal fax delivery.

Claims

1. A fax director for directing a fax to a desired recipient identified by recipient-identifying information over the Internet to the recipient'"'"'s Internet address or, if the Internet address is not known, over the public telephone system to the recipient'"'"'s fax number, comprising:

a) an electronically-stored table containing recipient-identifying information identifying certain potential fax recipients and an Internet address corresponding to each; and

b) a processor configured to

i) communicate with said table;

ii) receive the recipient-identifying information for the desired recipient;

iii) determine whether said table contains an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information;

iv) if said table contains an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information, direct that the fax be sent to the recipient over the Internet to the corresponding Internet address; and

v) if said table does not contain an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information, direct that the fax be sent to the recipient over the public telephone system using the fax number of the desired recipient.

2. A method for directing a fax to a desired recipient identified by recipient-identifying information over the Internet to the recipient'"'"'s Internet address or, if the Internet address is not known, over the public telephone system to the recipient'"'"'s fax number, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving the recipient-identifying information for the desired recipient;

b) determining whether an electronically-stored table contains an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information;

c) if the table contains an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information, directing the fax to the recipient over the Internet to the corresponding Internet address; and

d) if the table does not contain an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information, directing the fax to the recipient over the public telephone system using the fax number of the recipient.

3. A fax director for routing a fax over the most economical route to a desired recipient identified by a telephone number received from a local fax machine and for connecting to a telephone line, said fax director comprising:

a) an off-hook sensor for sensing when the local fax machine goes off hook;

b) a dial tone provide for delivering a dial tone to the local fax machine;

c) a telephone number decoder for decoding the telephone number dialed by the local fax machine;

d) a telephone number dialer connectable to the telephone line for dialing the telephone number;

e) a handshaker for handshaking with the fax machine;

f) a fax converter for converting the fax to be sent by the local fax machine into a computer file;

g) a table of telephone numbers and corresponding Internet addresses;

h) a fax sender connectable to the Internet for sending the computer file containing the fax over the Internet to the Internet address if the telephone number is in said table; and

i) a processor connected to said table, fax sender, off-hook sensor, dial tone provider, telephone number decoder, telephone number dialer, handshaker and fax converter for;

i) causing said dial tone provider to provide a dial tone after said off-hook sensor senses the fax machine going off-hook;

ii) causing said telephone number decoder to decode the telephone number dialed by the local fax machine after causing said dial tone provider to provide a dial tone;

iii) looking up the decoded telephone number in said table;

iv) if an Internet address corresponding to the telephone number is in the telephone number table;

(1) causing said handshaker to handshake with the fax machine;

(2) causing said fax converter to convert the fax being sent by the local fax machine into a computer file; and

(3) causing said fax sender to send the computer file to the Internet address; and

v) if an Internet address corresponding to the telephone number is not in the telephone number table, for;

(1) causing said telephone number dialer to dial the telephone number; and

(2) connecting the local fax machine to the telephone line.