Internet message communicator with direct output to a hard copy device
DCFirst Claim
1. A global network communicator for providing transmission of hard copy messages to or from a user and a global network, the communicator comprising:
- a network access activation unit for initiating communication between the communicator and the global network, and for initiating transmission of data to or from the communicator and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the communicator and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the communicator; and
a hard copy processing unit for providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and a hard copy interface.
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Abstract
This invention discloses an apparatus for a global network communicator including an application-specific communications device suitable substantially only for global network communications and including a global network application specific user interface, network protocol processing circuitry operative for communication with the global network and for formatting data to a required protocol employed by the global network and for translating data received from the global network to a format acceptable to the user interface, a communication line interface interconnecting the network protocol processing circuitry to the global network and including logical and physical interface apparatus and modulation and demodulation apparatus for information transmitted to the global network and information received from the global network respectively and network access activation circuitry for initiating communication between the communicator and the global network.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. A global network communicator for providing transmission of hard copy messages to or from a user and a global network, the communicator comprising:
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a network access activation unit for initiating communication between the communicator and the global network, and for initiating transmission of data to or from the communicator and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the communicator and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the communicator; and
a hard copy processing unit for providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and a hard copy interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for providing a hard copy interface that outputs or inputs hard copy media and transmits associated message data between a user and a global network, the method comprising the steps of:
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automatically initiating communication between a global network communicator and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the communicator and the global network;
formatting data sent to or from the global network and the communicator; and
providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and a hard copy interface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A facsimile machine incorporating a global network communicator, the facsimile machine comprising:
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a facsimile processor for processing facsimile data;
a hard copy device;
a network access activation unit for initiating communication between the facsimile machine and the global network, and for initiating transmission of data to or from the facsimile machine and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the facsimile machine and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the facsimile machine; and
a hard copy processing unit for providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and the hard copy device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing transmission of facsimile messages between a user and a global network, the method comprising the steps of:
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automatically initiating communication between a facsimile machine and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the facsimile machine and the global network;
formatting data sent to or from the global network and the facsimile machine; and
providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and a hard copy device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A data modem incorporating a global network communicator, the data modem comprising:
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a processor for processing modem data;
a network access activation unit for initiating communication between the data modem and the global network, and for initiating transmission of data to or from the data modem and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the data modem and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the data modem; and
a hard copy processing unit for providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and a hard copy interface. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for providing a hard copy interface that outputs or inputs hard copy media and transmits associated message data between a user and a global network, the method comprising the steps of:
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automatically initiating communication between a data modem and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether data needs to be transmitted to or from the data modem and the global network;
formatting data sent to or from the global network and the data modem; and
providing automatic transmission of data to or from the global network and a hard copy interface. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for providing off-line communication of audio information over a global network comprising:
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a user interface including an audio transducer;
an audio-data converter for converting between analog audio signals associated with the audio transducer and digital data;
a network access activation unit for initiating off-line communication between the apparatus and the global network, and for initiating off-line transmission of digital data to or from the apparatus and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the apparatus and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the apparatus, and for providing automatic off-line transmission of digital data to or from the global network and a data memory, wherein digital data is transmitted to or from the data memory and the audio-data converter to provide audio communication for a user via the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for providing off-line communication of audio information over a global network wherein a user sends or receives digital data representative of audio information over the global network via an audio apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
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automatically initiating off-line communication between the audio apparatus and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the audio apparatus and the global network;
providing automatic off-line transmission of digital data to or from the global network and the audio apparatus;
storing digital data;
converting between analog audio signals and digital data; and
converting between audible audio and analog audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A telephone for providing off-line communication of voice information over a global network comprising:
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a user interface including an voice transducer;
a voice-data converter for converting between analog voice signals associated with the transducer and digital data;
a network access activation unit for initiating off-line communication between the telephone and the global network and for initiating off-line transmission of digital data to or from the telephone and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the telephone and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the telephone, and for providing automatic off-line transmission of data to or from the global network and a data memory, wherein digital data is transmitted to or from the data memory and the voice-data converter to provide voice communication for a user via the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for providing off-line communication of voice information over a global network, the method comprising the steps of:
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interfacing with a telephone user;
converting between analog voice signals associated with the telephone user and digital data;
automatically initiating off-line communication between the telephone and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the telephone and the global network;
providing automatic off-line transmission of digital data to or from the global network and a data memory; and
transmitting digital data to or from the data memory and the voice-data converter to provide voice communication for a user. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A telephone answering device for providing off-line communication of voice information over a global network comprising:
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a user interface including an voice transducer;
a voice-data converter for converting between analog voice signals associated with the transducer and digital data;
a network access activation unit for initiating off-line communication between the telephone answering device and the global network and for initiating off-line transmission of digital data to or from the telephone answering device and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the telephone answering device and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the telephone answering device, and for providing automatic off-line transmission of data to or from the global network and a data memory, wherein digital data is transmitted to or from the data memory and the voice-data converter to provide voice messaging for a user via the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for providing off-line communication of voice information over a global network, the method comprising the steps of:
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interfacing with a telephone answering device user;
converting between analog voice signals associated with the telephone answering device user and digital data;
automatically initiating off-line communication between the telephone answering device and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the telephone answering device and the global network;
providing automatic off-line transmission of digital data to or from the global network and a data memory; and
transmitting digital data to or from the data memory and the voice-data converter to provide voice messaging for a user. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A private branch exchange system for providing off-line communication of voice information over a global network comprising:
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a user interface including an voice transducer;
a voice-data converter for converting between analog voice signals associated with the transducer and digital data;
a network access activation unit for initiating off-line communication between a private branch exchange and the global network and for initiating off-line transmission of digital data to or from the private branch exchange and the global network;
a scheduling unit for automatically activating the network access activation unit at predetermined instances in time;
a polling apparatus, operating in cooperation with the scheduling unit, for automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the private branch exchange and the global network; and
a network protocol processing unit, operative for communication with the global network, for formatting data sent to or from the global network and the private branch exchange, and for providing automatic off-line transmission of data to or from the global network and a data memory, wherein digital data is transmitted to or from the data memory and the voice-data converter to provide voice communication for a user via the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A method for providing off-line communication of voice information over a global network, the method comprising the steps of:
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interfacing with a private branch exchange user;
converting between analog voice signals associated with the private branch exchange user and digital data;
automatically initiating off-line communication between a private branch exchange and the global network at predetermined instances in time;
automatically polling to determine whether digital data needs to be transmitted to or from the private branch exchange and the global network;
providing automatic off-line transmission of digital data to or from the global network and a data memory; and
transmitting digital data to or from the data memory and the voice-data converter to provide voice communication for a user. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification