Method and apparatus for automated facsimile message confirmation

• US 6,477,243 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1998
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Choksi, Himanshu, Kumar, Siva V.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/069,675
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 379/100.08, 379/100.06, 379/100.01, 379/100.12, 379/93.24, 379/90.01, 379/88.13, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 358/402, 358/405, 358/442
• US Class Current: 379/100.06
• 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 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• 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 2201/0017 Notifying a communication result
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0018 via a non-image communication channel, e.g. via a computer network
• 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

Abstract

Integration of telecommunication message services and other communication services is achieved by notifying a user of a communication system of successful receipt of a message (e.g., a facsimile message) by sending a confirmation message to the user, e.g., using e-mail, facsimile, voice and/or data communications. The user may be identified by a unique identifier, e.g., a telephone number. The confirmation message may comprise a facsimile message, an attachment which includes the received message or a computer network address of a location where information regarding the received message and/or the message itself may be accessed. For the latter case, the computer network address is preferably a universal resource locator (URL) associated with a web page at which the information and/or received message may be accessed. The information may allow the user to view the message (e.g., as marked up by the intended recipient thereof), and/or it may indicate whether the intended recipient has read, reviewed, down-loaded to a hard copy or other device or otherwise accessed the message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising automatically transmitting a confirmation message via e-mail to a user of a computer-based facsimile reception station upon notification that a facsimile message transmitted by the user has been received by an intended recipient thereof, said notification representing recognition that a web page at which the facsimile message is available for viewing has been accessed by the intended recipient of the facsimile message, wherein the confirmation message includes a computer network address of a location at which information associated with the facsimile message can be accessed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a source of the facsimile message received at the facsimile reception station is identified by mapping a unique identifier associated therewith to an associated communication address of the source of the facsimile message.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the mapping is accomplished using a lookup table.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the communication address comprises an e-mail address.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the communication address comprises a telephone number.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the communication address comprises a cellular telephone number.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the communication address comprises a pager account number.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirmation message comprises at least a portion of the received facsimile message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirmation message comprises a computer network address specifying a location at which information regarding the received facsimile message may be accessed.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirmation message comprises a computer network address specifying a location at which information regarding the received facsimile message may be accessed.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the computer network address comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirmation message comprises a voice message.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the confirmation message comprises an alpha-numeric message.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing information regarding the received facsimile message after receipt of the confirmation message.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein accessing the information regarding the received facsimile message included viewing the received facsimile message.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification of receipt of the facsimile message by the intended recipient thereof comprises receipt of a web form including a communication address of the user.

17. A computer, comprising:

receiving circuitry for receiving a number of facsimile messages across a single telephone connection, each facsimile message destined for a different recipient;

an identification unit coupled to the receiving circuitry and configured to associate each received facsimile message with an appropriate source thereof, said identification unit comprising a mapping function configured to receive a unique identifier associated with the source of a first facsimile message and to provide therefrom a communication address of the source of the first facsimile message; and

a notification unit configured to transmit a confirmation message by one or more methodologies including via e-mail to an appropriate one of the sources of the facsimile messages upon receipt of an indication that the first of the facsimile messages transmitted thereby has been accessed by an intended recipient of the first facsimile message.

18. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted to a telephone number.

19. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted to a cellular telephone number.

20. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted to a pager number.

21. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a voice message.

22. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as an alpha-numeric message.

23. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a facsimile message.

24. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message comprises a confirmed copy of the first facsimile message.

25. The computer of claim 17 wherein the confirmation message comprises a computer network address specifying a location at which information regarding the first facsimile message may be accessed.

26. The computer of claim 25 wherein the computer network address comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

27. The computer of claim 26 wherein the URL identifies a web page associated with the computer.

28. The computer of claim 17 wherein the mapping function is embodied in a lookup table.

29. The computer of claim 17 wherein the notification unit is configured to transmit the confirmation message to the communication address provided by the mapping function.

30. The computer of claim 29 wherein the communication address comprises an e-mail address.

31. The computer of claim 29 further comprising a storage archive for the received facsimile messages and wherein the confirmation message comprises an address of the storage archive at which information regarding stored facsimile messages may be accessed.

32. A shared facsimile reception system, comprising:

a computer configured to receive, from a single telephone connection, a plurality of facsimile messages, each destined for a different one of a number of users of the shared facsimile reception system and further configured to provide a confirmation message of a reception by a user to the sources of the facsimile messages by one or more methodologies including via e-mall, wherein such confirmation message is transmitted by one or more methodologies including via e-mail and comprises a computer network address of a storage location associated with at least a first facsimile message and comprising at least the first facsimile message.

33. The shared facsimile reception system of claim 32 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a telephone call.

34. The shared facsimile reception system of claim 32 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a cellular telephone call.

35. The shared facsimile reception system of claim 32 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as a voice message.

36. The share d facsimile reception system of claim 32 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted as an alpha-numeric message.

37. The shared facsimile reception system of claim 32 wherein the confirmation message is transmitted to a pager.

38. The shared facsimile reception system of claim 32 wherein the computer network address comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

39. A subscriber-based facsimile reception system, comprising a facsimile reception station configured to receive facsimile messages for a number of subscribers from a single telephone connection and to confirm, through one or more methodologies including email, successful reception by intended recipients thereof by way of a confirmation message to a sender of each of said facsimile messages, each confirmation message including a computer network address at which information associated with the facsimile message can be accessed.

40. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to notify each source of the facsimile messages upon successful receipt of the facsimile messages transmitted thereby.

41. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to confirm successful reception by way of a confirmation message transmitted as a telephone call.

42. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to confirms successful reception by way of a confirmation message transmitted as a cellular telephone call.

43. The subscriber-based facsimile reception station of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to confirm successful reception by way of a confirmation message transmitted as an additional facsimile message.

44. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to confirm successful reception by way of a confirmation message transmitted as a voice message.

45. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to confirm successful reception by way of a confirmation message transmitted as an alpha-numeric message.

46. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station is further configured to confirm successful reception by way of a confirmation message transmitted to a pager.

47. The shared facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the computer network address comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

48. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 39 wherein the facsimile reception station comprises a mapping function to provide a communication address of a first of the sources of the received facsimile messages in response to an indication that a facsimile message associated with the first source has been received.

49. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 48 wherein the communication address comprises an e-mail address.

50. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 48 wherein the communication address comprises a telephone number.

51. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 48 wherein the communication address comprises a cellular telephone number.

52. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 48 wherein the communication address comprises a pager number.

53. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 48 wherein the indication that a facsimile message associated with the first source has been received comprises an access of a web page at which the facsimile message associated with the first source is available.

54. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 48 wherein the first of the sources is notified of successful reception of the facsimile message associated therewith by transmitting from the facsimile reception station a confirmation message comprising a universal resource locator (URL) identifying a web page at which information regarding the facsimile message associated with the first source may be accessed.

55. The subscriber-based facsimile reception system of claim 54 wherein the web page is associated with the facsimile reception station.

56. A method comprising:

determining that a facsimile message has been successfully received by an intended recipient of the facsimile message; and

notifying a sender of the facsimile message that the facsimile message has been successfully received, by sending a confirmation message to the sender at a communication address associated with a source of the facsimile message, including transmitting the confirmation message via e-mail, wherein the confirmation message includes a computer network address of a location at which information associated with the facsimile message can be accessed.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message is sent to the user as a voice message.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message is sent to the user as an alpha-numeric message.

59. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message is sent to the user via telephone.

60. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message is sent to the user via cellular telephone.

61. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message is sent to the user via pager.

62. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message comprises at least a portion of the facsimile message.

63. The method of claim 56 wherein the computer network address comprises a universal resource locator (URL).

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the information associated with the facsimile message includes the facsimile message.

65. The method of claim 56 wherein the confirmation message comprises a confirmed copy of the facsimile message.

66. A method comprising:

determining that a facsimile message has been successfully received by an intended recipient of the facsimile message; and

notifying a sender of the facsimile message that the facsimile message has been successfully received by the intended recipient, by sending a confirmation message to the sender at a communication address associated with a source of the facsimile message, wherein the communication address is specified by the intended recipient of the facsimile message.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the confirmation message includes a computer network address of a location at which information associated with the facsimile message can be accessed.

68. The method of claim 66 wherein the information associated with the facsimile message includes modifications to the facsimile message added by the intended recipient.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein said sending the confirmation message comprises transmitting the confirmation message via e-mail.

70. A method comprising:

determining that a facsimile message has been successfully received by an intended recipient of the facsimile message; and

notifying a sender of the facsimile message that the facsimile message has been successfully received by the intended recipient, by sending a confirmation message to the sender at a communication address associated with a source of the facsimile message, wherein said notifying includes automatically determining the communication address in response to an indication by the intended recipient that the confirmation message is to be sent.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the confirmation message includes a computer network address of a location at which information associated with the facsimile message can be accessed.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the indication by the intended recipient that the confirmation message is to be sent comprises an electronic message from the intended recipient.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein said sending the confirmation message comprises transmitting the confirmation message via e-mail.