Apparatus and method for confirming, timestamping, and archiving printer and telecopier transmissions
First Claim
1. A method for allowing a user to verify the content and submission time of an archived telecopier transmission, comprising the steps of:
- (a) at a computer-implemented verification service, receiving a telecopier transmission identifier from a requester;
(b) using said telecopier transmission identifier to locate at least one image, and a corresponding secure time indicator, in a digital archive;
(c) retrieving said at least one image and said secure time indicator from said archive; and
(d) sending a verification determination, including a representation of said retrieved at least one image, to said user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for confirming, timestamping, and archiving documents using telecopiers (e.g., facsimile machines). A user sends a document to a timestamping service via facsimile, which archives the transmission with a timestamp. A submission receipt, containing size-reduced images of the submission and a document identification value (DIV), is prepared and sent to the sender. The DIV can later be submitted to the timestamping service to obtain verification that the document was received at the indicated time. In addition, the invention allows for various other forms of document transmission, document identification, and timestamp verification. The invention is thus useful in any situation where it is desired to prove that a document was in existence at a given time. Other embodiments of the invention provide senders of facsimile and telecopier transmissions with confirmation that their transmissions were received successfully.
194 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for allowing a user to verify the content and submission time of an archived telecopier transmission, comprising the steps of:
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(a) at a computer-implemented verification service, receiving a telecopier transmission identifier from a requester;
(b) using said telecopier transmission identifier to locate at least one image, and a corresponding secure time indicator, in a digital archive;
(c) retrieving said at least one image and said secure time indicator from said archive; and
(d) sending a verification determination, including a representation of said retrieved at least one image, to said user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for verifying the content and submission time of an archived telecopier transmission, to a user of said system, comprising:
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(a) an interface for receiving a telecopier transmission identifier;
(b) a storage subsystem configured to provide;
(i) at least one image corresponding to a telecopier transmission identifier received from said interface, and (ii) a secure time indicator corresponding to said image;
(c) a receipt generator for generating a verification determination, including a representation of said image, for transmission to a user of said system. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for generating a confirmation from a received telecopier transmission, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving via telecopier from a sender an image;
(b) printing said received image on a substrate;
(c) automatically scanning said printed substrate into digital form; and
(d) sending said scanned image to said sender via telecopier. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A telecopier device with automated confirmation generation capability, comprising:
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(a) a first telecopier-compatible modem configured for receiving, from a sender, an image to print;
(b) a printer configured for printing said image onto a substrate;
(c) a scanner configured for scanning said substrate into digital form, after said substrate has been printed upon by said printing mechanism;
(d) a memory to store said digital form; and
(e) a second telecopier-compatible modem capable of sending, to said sender, said digital form. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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Specification