System and process for transmitting electronic mail using a conventional facsimile device

• US 6,625,642 B1
• Filed: 11/06/1998
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: J2 Global, Inc.
• Inventors: Naylor, Joe G., Mailman, Josh A., Prince, Edward R. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US09/187,365
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 358/407, 358/440, 358/442, 358/468, 358/438, 358/1.15, 358/402, 379/100.02, 379/100.09, 379/100.15, 379/100.08, 379/100.13, 379/93.24, 709/206, 709/200
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• 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 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention relates to a system for combining an electronic mail (email) address or addresses and/or facsimile telephone numbers into a fax message, so that when received by a server the fax document is processed and transmitted as an email attachment to the email addresses or a fax message to the telephone numbers of the intended fax recipients. This allows the user to be able to send faxes and emails from a conventional fax machine or personal computer without having an Internet connection.

Claims

1. A process for transferring data using a facsimile device, comprising the steps of:

a user,

entering user-specified information comprising at least one electronic mail address into a primary facsimile device, and

causing message data to be entered into the facsimile device; and

the facsimile device,

formatting the message data for transfer to a server,

appending standard facsimile formatting information and the user-specified information to the formatted message data, and

transferring the formatted message data and appended information to the server.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the facsimile device is a facsimile machine.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the facsimile device is a computing device with facsimile communications capabilities.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of entering user-specified information comprises entering more than one electronic mail address into the facsimile device.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of entering user specified information comprises entering at least one telephone number associated with another facsimile device into the first facsimile device.

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of the user designating a password wherein the password causes the message data to be encrypted by the facsimile device prior to its transfer to the server, said encryption being keyed to the password such that a recipient of the message data can decipher it using the password, and wherein the facsimile device appends an indicator to the formatted and encrypted message data indicating the message data is encrypted.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of entering user-specified information comprises entering information designating the identity of the facsimile device transferring the formatted message data and appended information to the server.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of entering user-specified information comprises entering an identifier designating a memory location of the server containing at least one of (i) electronic mail addresses and (ii) telephone numbers associated with other facsimile devices.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of formatting the message data comprises formatting the message data in a Fax Binary File Transfer format.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of entering user-specified information comprises entering a reply email address belonging to the user.

11. A system for transferring data, comprising:

a computing device; and

a computer program comprising program modules executable by the computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the computer program modules to,

format message data for transfer to a server,

append standard facsimile formatting information and user-specified information to the formatted message data, wherein the user-specified information comprises at least one electronic mail address, and

transfer the formatted message data and appended information to the server.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the user specified information further comprises at least one telephone number associated with a facsimile device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the program module for formatting the message data comprises a sub-module for encrypting the message data in response to a user entering into the computing device a password, said encryption being keyed to the password such that a recipient of the message data can decipher it using the password, and wherein the program module for appending standard facsimile formatting information and user specified information to the formatted message data comprises a sub-module for appending an indicator to the formatted and encrypted message data indicating the message data is encrypted.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the user specified information further comprises information designating the identity of the computing device transferring the formatted message data and appended information to the server.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the user specified information further comprises an identifier designating a memory location of the server containing at least one of (i) electronic mail addresses and (ii) telephone numbers associated with facsimile devices.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the program module for formatting the message data comprises a sub-module for formatting the message data in a Fax Binary File Transfer format.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the user specified information further comprises information designating a reply email address belonging to the user.

18. A computer-readable memory for effecting the transfer of data, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

a computer program comprising program modules stored in the storage medium, wherein the storage medium is so configured by the computer program that it causes a computing device to,

format message data for transfer to a server,

append standard facsimile formatting information and user-specified information to the formatted message data, wherein the user-specified information comprises at least one electronic mail address, and

transfer the formatted message data and appended information to the server.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 18 wherein the user specified information further comprises at least one telephone number associated with a facsimile device.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 18, wherein the program module for formatting the message data comprises a sub-module for encrypting the message data in response to a user entering into the computing device a password, said encryption being keyed to the password such that a recipient of the message data can decipher it using a password, and wherein the program module for appending standard facsimile formatting information and user-specified information to the formatted message data comprises a sub-module for appending an indicator to the formatted and encrypted message data indicating the message data is encrypted.

21. The computer-readable memory of claim 18 wherein the user specified information further comprises information designating the identity of the computing device transferring the formatted message data and appended information to the server.

22. The computer-readable memory of claim 18 wherein the user specified information further comprises an identifier designating a memory location of the server containing at least one of (i) electronic mail addresses and (ii) telephone numbers associated with facsimile devices.

23. The computer-readable memory of claim 18, wherein the program module for formatting the message data comprises a sub-module for formatting the message data in a Fax Binary File Transfer format.

24. The computer-readable memory of claim 18 wherein the user specified information further comprises information designating a reply email address belonging to the user.

25. A computer-implemented data transfer process for transferring data received from a primary facsimile device to at least one electronic mailbox and/or at least one other facsimile device, the data transfer process comprising using a computing device as a server to perform the following steps:

receiving formatting data and message data from the primary facsimile device, wherein the formatting data comprises user-specified information and standard facsimile formatting information, and wherein the message data comprises data intended for transfer to at least one recipient;

stripping the formatting data from the message data;

applying a standard electronic mail (email) header to the message data; and

,

transmitting the message data as an attachment to the email header to an email mailbox associated with an email address indicated by the user-specified information.

26. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein:

the stripping step comprises extracting an email address from the user-specified information; and

the transmitting step comprises transmitting the message data with its applied email header to the email mailbox associated with the email address extracted from the user-specified information.

27. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein the user-specified information comprises more than one email address, and wherein the applying and transmitting steps are repeated for each email address.

28. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein the user-specified information comprises an email address indicator designating a memory location resident in a memory of the server that contains at least one email address, and wherein the applying and transmitting steps are repeated for each email address contained in the designated memory location of the server.

29. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein the user-specified information comprises a reply email address belonging to a sender of the message data, and wherein:

the stripping step comprises extracting the reply email address from the user-specified information; and

the step of applying the standard email header to the message data comprises a step of providing the sender'"'"'s reply email address to the recipient of the email transmission by at least one of (i) including it in a “

from”

field of the email header or (ii) inserting it in the message data.

30. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein the server has a memory with a memory location containing a listing of the identity of every facsimile device authorized to use the server, and wherein the stripping step comprises extracting an identity indicator designating the identity of the primary facsimile device from the user-specified information, and wherein the data transfer process further comprises comparing the identity indicator to the listing of authorized facsimile devices to determine if the primary facsimile device is authorized to use the server.

31. The data transfer process of claim 30, wherein the server discards the received formatting data and message data, and foregoes the applying and transmitting steps, whenever the identity of the primary facsimile device as derived from the extracted identity indicator is found not to be in the listing of authorized facsimile devices.

32. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein the stripping step comprises extracting a facsimile device telephone number from the user specified information, and wherein the data transfer process further comprises the step of transmitting the message data with standard facsimile formatting information to a facsimile device associated with the telephone number.

33. The data transfer process of claim 32, wherein the user-specified information comprises more than one facsimile device telephone number, and wherein the step of transmitting the message data with the standard facsimile formatting information to a facsimile device associated with a facsimile device telephone number is repeated for each facsimile device telephone number contained in the user-specified information.

34. The data transfer process of claim 32, wherein the stripping step comprises extracting a telephone number indicator designating a memory location resident in a memory of the server that contains at least one facsimile device telephone number, and wherein the data transfer process further comprises the step of transmitting the message data with standard facsimile formatting information to the facsimile devices associated with each of the facsimile device telephone numbers contained in memory location.

35. The data transfer process of claim 25, wherein the server maintains a list of every previous email address to which it has transmitted an email transmittal in a memory location in a server memory, and wherein the data transfer process further comprises the steps of:

comparing the email address indicated by the user-specified information with the list of previous email addresses;

sending an email viewer to the email address indicated by the user specified information whenever the email address is not found in the list of previous email addresses, said email viewer being capable of allowing the recipient of the email transmittal to view the message data contained therein.

36. The data transfer process of claim 35, wherein the step of sending the email viewer comprises the step of sending the viewer in a separate, second email transmittal to the email address indicated by the user-specified information, said second email transmittal including a message viewable by the recipient which directs the recipient to employ the email viewer to view the message data contained in the first email transmittal.

37. The data transfer process of claim 35, wherein the step of sending the email viewer comprises the step of including it as a second attachment to the email header of the email transmittal, said email transmittal including a message viewable by the recipient which directs the recipient to select the second attachment containing the viewer and to use it to view the message data contained in the first attachment to the email transmittal.

38. The data transfer process of claim 35, wherein the step of sending the email viewer comprises the step of inserting it into the message data portion of the email transmittal, said email viewer being configured to execute automatically whenever the recipient of the email transmittal selects the attachment containing the message data, thereby allowing the recipient to view the message data.

39. The data transfer process of claim 38, wherein the step of sending the email viewer further comprises the step of including a message viewable by the recipient in the email transmittal which provides instructions to the recipient for extracting the viewer from the rest of the message data and saving it for future use.

40. The data transfer process of claim 35, further comprising the step of sending a message viewable by the recipient along with the email viewer which directs the recipient to provide, via a return communication to the server, information specifying a format for the message data that would be viewable by the recipient whenever the recipient is unable to view the message data provided with the email transmittal with the provided viewer.

41. The data transfer process of claim 37, wherein the stripping step comprises extracting from the user-specified information an encryption indicator that indicates if the message data is encrypted, and wherein the data transfer process further comprises the step of sending a third email transmittal to the recipient in response to the recipient'"'"'s return communication to the server, which provides the message data in a format viewable by the recipient, whenever the encryption indicator indicates that the message data is not encrypted.

42. The data transfer process of claim 37, wherein the stripping step comprises extracting from the user-specified information an encryption indicator that indicates if the message data is encrypted, and wherein the data transfer process further comprises the step of sending a third email transmittal viewable by the recipient, in response to the recipient'"'"'s return communication to the server, which directs the recipient to contact a sender responsible for initiating the transmission of the first email transmittal, whenever the encryption indicator indicates that the message data is encrypted.

43. A system for transferring data received from a primary facsimile device to at least one electronic mailbox and/or at least one other facsimile device, comprising:

a computing device acting as a server; and

a computer program comprising program modules executable by the server, wherein the server is directed by the computer program modules to,

receive formatting data and message data from the primary facsimile device, wherein the formatting data comprises user-specified information and standard facsimile formatting information, and wherein the message data comprises data intended for transfer to at least one recipient,

strip the formatting data from the message data,

apply a standard electronic mail (email) header to the message data, and

transmit the message data as an attachment to the email header to an email mailbox associated with an email address indicated by the user-specified information.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein:

the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting an email address from the user-specified information; and

the program module for transmitting the message data comprises a sub-module for transmitting the message data with its applied email header to the email mailbox associated with the email address extracted from the user specified information.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the user-specified information comprises more than one email address, and wherein the program modules for applying a standard email header and transmitting the message data are executed for each email address.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the user-specified information comprises an email address indicator designating a memory location resident in a memory of the server that contains at least one email address, and wherein the program modules for applying a standard email header and transmitting the message data are executed for each email address contained in the designated memory location of the server.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the user-specified information comprises a reply email address belonging to a sender of the message data, and wherein:

the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting the reply email address from the user-specified information; and

the program module for applying the standard email header to the message data comprises a sub-module for providing the sender'"'"'s reply email address to the recipient of the email transmission by at least one of (i) including it in a “

from”

field of the email header or (ii) inserting it in the message data.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the server has a memory with a memory location containing a listing of the identity of every facsimile device authorized to use the server, and wherein the program module for stripping formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting an identity indicator designating the identity of the primary facsimile device from the user-specified information, and wherein computer program further comprises a program module for comparing the identity indicator to the listing of authorized facsimile devices to determine if the primary facsimile device is authorized to use the server.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the program module for comparing the identity indicator to the listing of authorized facsimile devices comprises a sub-module for discarding the received formatting data and message data, and foregoing the execution of the applying and transmitting program modules, whenever the identity of the primary facsimile device as derived from the extracted identity indicator is found not to be in the listing of authorized facsimile devices.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting a facsimile device telephone number from the user-specified information, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for transmitting the message data with standard facsimile formatting information to a facsimile device associated with the telephone number.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the user-specified information comprises more than one facsimile device telephone number, and wherein the program module for transmitting the message data with the standard facsimile formatting information to a facsimile device associated with a facsimile device telephone number is executed for each facsimile device telephone number contained in the user-specified information.

52. The system of claim 43, wherein the program module for stripping formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting from the user-specified information a telephone number indicator designating a memory location resident in a memory of the server that contains at least one facsimile device telephone number, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for transmitting the message data with standard facsimile formatting information to the facsimile devices associated with each of the facsimile device telephone numbers contained in memory location.

53. The system of claim 43, wherein the server maintains a list of every previous email address to which it has transmitted an email transmittal in a memory location in a server memory, and wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

comparing the email address indicated by the user-specified information with the list of previous email addresses; and

sending an email viewer to the email address indicated by the userspecified information whenever the email address is not found in the list of previous email addresses, said email viewer being capable of allowing the recipient of the email transmittal to view the message data contained therein.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises a sub-module for sending the viewer in a separate, second email transmittal to the email address indicated by the user-specified information, said second email transmittal including a message viewable by the recipient which directs the recipient to employ the email viewer to view the message data contained in the first email transmittal.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises sub-modules for:

including the email viewer as a second attachment to the email header of the email transmittal;

including a message viewable by the recipient in the email transmittal which directs the recipient to select the second attachment containing the viewer and to use it to view the message data contained in the first attachment to the email transmittal.

56. The system of claim 53, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises a sub-module for inserting the email viewer into the message data portion of the email transmittal, said email viewer being configured to execute automatically whenever the recipient of the email transmittal selects the attachment containing the message data, thereby allowing the recipient to view the message data.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer further comprises a sub-module for including a message viewable by the recipient in the email transmittal which provides instructions to the recipient for extracting the viewer from the rest of the message data and saving it for future use.

58. The system of claim 53, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises a sub-module for sending a message viewable by the recipient along with the email viewer which directs the recipient to provide, via a return communication to the server, information specifying a format for the message data that would be viewable by the recipient whenever the recipient is unable to view the message data provided with the email transmittal with the provided viewer.

59. The system of claim 55, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting from the user specified information an encryption indicator that indicates if the message data is encrypted, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for sending a third email transmittal to the recipient in response to the recipients return communication to the server, which provides the message data in a format viewable by the recipient, whenever the encryption indicator indicates that the message data is not encrypted.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting from the user specified information an encryption indicator that indicates if the message data is encrypted, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for sending a third email transmittal viewable by the recipient, in response to the recipient'"'"'s return communication to the server, which directs the recipient to contact a sender responsible for initiating the transmission of the first email transmittal, whenever the encryption indicator indicates that the message data is encrypted.

61. A computer-readable memory for transferring data received from a primary facsimile device to at least one electronic mailbox and/or at least one other facsimile device, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

a computer program comprising program modules stored in the storage medium, wherein the storage medium is so configured by the computer program that it causes a computing device to,

receive formatting data and message data from the primary facsimile device, wherein the formatting data comprises user-specified information and standard facsimile formatting information, and wherein the message data comprises data intended for transfer to at least one recipient,

strip the formatting data from the message data,

apply a standard electronic mail (email) header to the message data, and

transmit the message data as an attachment to the email header to an email mailbox associated with an email address indicated by the user-specified information.

62. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein:

the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting an email address from the user-specified information; and

the program module for transmitting the message data comprises a sub-module for transmitting the message data with its applied email header to the email mailbox associated with the email address extracted from the user specified information.

63. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein the user specified information comprises more than one email address, and wherein the program modules for applying a standard email header and transmitting the message data are executed for each email address.

64. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein the user specified information comprises an email address indicator designating a memory location resident in a memory of the server that contains at least one email address, and wherein the program modules for applying a standard email header and transmitting the message data are executed for each email address contained in the designated memory location of the server.

65. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein the user specified information comprises a reply email address belonging to a sender of the message data, and wherein:

the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting the reply email address from the user-specified information; and

the program module for applying the standard email header to the message data comprises a sub-module for providing the senders reply email address to the recipient of the email transmission by at least one of (i) including it in a “

from”

field of the email header or (ii) inserting it in the message data.

66. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein the server has a memory with a memory location containing a listing of the identity of every facsimile device authorized to use the server, and wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting an identity indicator designating the identity of the primary facsimile device from the user specified information, and wherein computer program further comprises a program module for comparing the identity indicator to the listing of authorized facsimile devices to determine if the primary facsimile device is authorized to use the server.

67. The computer-readable memory of claim 66, wherein the program module for comparing the identity indicator to the listing of authorized facsimile devices comprises a sub-module for discarding the received formatting data and message data, and foregoing the execution of the applying and transmitting program modules, whenever the identity of the primary facsimile device as derived from the extracted identity indicator is found not to be in the listing of authorized facsimile devices.

68. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting a facsimile device telephone number from the user-specified information, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for transmitting the message data with standard facsimile formatting information to a facsimile device associated with the telephone number.

69. The computer-readable memory of claim 68, wherein the user specified information comprises more than one facsimile device telephone number, and wherein the program module for transmitting the message data with the standard facsimile formatting information to a facsimile device associated with a facsimile device telephone number is executed for each facsimile device telephone number contained in the user-specified information.

70. The computer-readable memory of claim 68, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting from the user-specified information a telephone number indicator designating a memory location resident in a memory of the server that contains at least one facsimile device telephone number, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for transmitting the message data with the standard facsimile formatting information to the facsimile devices associated with each of the facsimile device telephone numbers contained in memory location.

71. The computer-readable memory of claim 61, wherein the server maintains a list of every previous email address to which it has transmitted an email transmittal in a memory location in a server memory, and wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

comparing the email address indicated by the user-specified information with the list of previous email addresses; and

sending an email viewer to the email address indicated by the user specified information whenever the email address is not found in the list of previous email addresses, said email viewer being capable of allowing the recipient of the email transmittal to view the message data contained therein.

72. The computer-readable memory of claim 71, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises a sub-module for sending the viewer in a separate, second email transmittal to the email address indicated by the user-specified information, said second email transmittal including a message viewable by the recipient which directs the recipient to employ the email viewer to view the message data contained in the first email transmittal.

73. The computer-readable memory of claim 71, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises sub-modules for:

including the email viewer as a second attachment to the email header of the email transmittal;

including a message viewable by the recipient in the email transmittal which directs the recipient to select the second attachment containing the viewer and to use it to view the message data contained in the first attachment to the email transmittal.

74. The computer-readable memory of claim 71, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises a sub-module for inserting the email viewer into the message data portion of the email transmittal, said email viewer being configured to execute automatically whenever the recipient of the email transmittal selects the attachment containing the message data, thereby allowing the recipient to view the message data.

75. The computer-readable memory of claim 74, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer further comprises a sub-module for including a message viewable by the recipient in the email transmittal which provides instructions to the recipient for extracting the viewer from the rest of the message data and saving it for future use.

76. The computer-readable memory of claim 71, wherein the program module for sending the email viewer comprises a sub-module for sending a message viewable by the recipient along with the email viewer which directs the recipient to provide, via a return communication to the server, information specifying a format for the message data that would be viewable by the recipient whenever the recipient is unable to view the message data provided with the email transmittal with the provided viewer.

77. The computer-readable memory of claim 73, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting from the user-specified information an encryption indicator that indicates if the message data is encrypted, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for sending a third email transmittal to the recipient in response to the recipient'"'"'s return communication to the server, which provides the message data in a format viewable by the recipient, whenever the encryption indicator indicates that the message data is not encrypted.

78. The computer-readable memory of claim 73, wherein the program module for stripping the formatting data comprises a sub-module for extracting from the user-specified information an encryption indicator that indicates if the message data is encrypted, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for sending a third email transmittal viewable by the recipient, in response to the recipient'"'"'s return communication to the server, which directs the recipient to contact a sender responsible for initiating the transmission of the first email transmittal, whenever the encryption indicator indicates that the message data is encrypted.