Facsimile image information managing system and method

• US 6,704,775 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cosat, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cosat, Inc.
• Inventors: Tanabe, Hiroyasu, Sato, Kazutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): POLLACK, MELVIN H
• Application Number:
  US09/469,112
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/206, 358/524, 358/402, 358/407, 358/440, 379/100.08, 379/100.09
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32438 Informing the addressee of reception

Abstract

A server of a facsimile information managing system receives facsimile image information, stores it, generates index information, which refers to its storage location, transmits it, accepts a request for specifying the storage location, and transmits facsimile image information stored in the specified storage location, a relay relays index information, the request for specifying the storage location of the facsimile image and facsimile image information, a client accepts an input for selecting the storage location of facsimile image information from the index information, transmits the request for specifying the selected storage location to the server, receives facsimile image information transmitted by the server, and displays it. An HTML format is used in index information, a GIF format is used in facsimile image information, and a WWW browser is used in processing of client.

Claims

1. A facsimile image information managing system comprising:

(a) a server which receives a plurality of facsimile image information,

stores said plurality of received facsimile image information,

generates index information which refers to each storage location of said plurality of stored facsimile image information and generates thumbnail image information for each plurality of stored facsimile image information,

transmits said generated index information and said generated thumbnail image information associated therewith

accepts a request for specifying the storage location of facsimile image information, and

transmits the facsimile image information stored at the storage location specified in accordance with said accepted request;

(b) a relay which relays the index information and the thumbnail image information associated therewith transmitted by said server, the request for specifying the storage location of the facsimile image accepted by said server, and the facsimile image information; and

(c) a client which receives the plurality of index information and the plurality of thumbnail image information associated therewith which has been transmitted by said server and relayed by said relay,

displays said received index information and said plurality of received thumbnail image information associated therewith in one display area,

accepts an input for selecting one of said plurality of displayed thumbnail image information to select the storage location of the facsimile image information from said displayed index information associated with the selected thumbnail image information,

causes said relay to relay the request for specifying the storage location of the facsimile image information selected by said accepted input so as to be transmitted to said server,

receives the facsimile image information which has been transmitted by said server and relayed by said relay, and

displays said received facsimile image information.

2. The facsimile image information managing system according to claim 1, wherein said client further comprises a printer, and wherein when said client accepts an input for selecting facsimile image information to be printed from said displayed facsimile image information, and transmits the facsimile image information selected by said accepted input, said printer receives the facsimile image information transmitted by said client and prints said received facsimile image information.

3. The facsimile image information managing system according to claim 1, further comprising a printer, wherein said client and said printer are connected through said relay, when said client accepts an input for selecting facsimile image information to be printed from said displayed facsimile image information, transmits the facsimile image information selected by said accepted input to said printer through said relay, and said printer receives the facsimile image information transmitted by said client and prints said received facsimile image information.

4. The facsimile image information managing system according to claim 1, wherein said index information includes sender information of a sender that sends facsimile image information, and said client displays said sender information and accepts the input for selecting the storage location of the facsimile image information.

5. The facsimile image information managing system according to claim 1, further comprising, a scanner, wherein said client accepts an input for selecting a transmission destination to which facsimile image information scanned by said scanner is transmitted, and transmits the facsimile image information to said server after said transmission destination is relayed by said relay, said server receives the transmission destination relayed by said relay, and transmits the facsimile image information scanned by said scanner to said transmission destination.

8. The facsimile image information managing server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said nonvolatile storage stores a sender'"'"'s telephone number of the facsimile image information received by said image information receiver, time when said facsimile image information is received by said image information receiver, and sender information corresponding to said telephone number, and said index information sorter uses any one of sender'"'"'s telephone number of facsimile image information stored in said nonvolatile storage, time when facsimile image information is received, sender information of facsimile image information or the combination thereof as a key, and sorts index information to be generated.

6. A facsimile image information managing server apparatus comprising:

(a) an image information receiver which receives a plurality of facsimile image information;

(b) a nonvolatile storage which stores the plurality of facsimile image information received by said image information receiver;

(c) an index information generator which generates index information which refers to each storage location of said plurality of facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storage and each thumbnail image information of said plurality of facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storage;

(d) a request receiver which receives a request from a client apparatus connected through a computer communication network;

(e) a response transmitter which transmits a response to the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network;

(f) an index information transmission controller which controls said response transmitter to transmit a response, which includes the index information and the plurality of thumbnail image information therewith generated by said index information generator, to said client apparatus when said request receiver receives a request for obtaining index information from the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network in order for the client apparatus to display said index information and said plurality of thumbnail image information in one display area, accepts an input for selecting one of said plurality of displayed thumbnail image information to select the storage location of the facsimile image information from said displayed index information associated with the selected thumbnail image information and send a request for the selected storage location of the facsimile image information to the server apparatus; and

(g) a facsimile image information transmission controller which controls said response transmitter to transmit a response, which includes facsimile image information stored at a location specified by said nonvolatile storage, to said client apparatus when said request receiver receives a request for obtaining said facsimile information from the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network after specifying the location where said facsimile image information is stored.

7. The facsimile image information managing server apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

(h) an index information sorter which sorts index information which refers to the storage location of the facsimile image information, and generates index information when said request receiver receives a request for sorting index information from the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network; and

(i) a sorted index information transmission controller which controls said response transmitter to transmit index information sorted and generated by said index information sorter.

9. An information recording medium storing a program for controlling a server for managing facsimile image information to perform:

(a) an image information receiving step of receiving a plurality of facsimile image information;

(b) a nonvolatile storing step of storing the plurality of facsimile image information, which has been received by said image information receiving step, in a nonvolatile manner;

(c) an index information generating step of generating index information, which refers to each storage location of the facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storing step and each thumbnail image information of said facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storing step, when a request for obtaining index information from a client apparatus connected through a computer communication network is received;

(d) an index information transmitting step of transmitting a response, which includes the index information and the plurality of thumbnail image information therewith generated by said index information generating step, to said client apparatus, in order for the client apparatus to display said index information and said plurality of thumbnail image information in one display area, accepts an input for selecting one of said plurality of displayed thumbnail image information to select the storage location of the facsimile image information from said displayed index information associated with the selected thumbnail image information and send a request for the selected storage location of the facsimile image information to the server apparatus; and

(e) a facsimile image information transmitting step of transmitting a response, which includes facsimile image information stored at a location specified by said nonvolatile storing step, to said client apparatus when a request for obtaining said facsimile information from the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network is received by said request receiving step after specifying the location where said facsimile image information is stored.

10. A computer data signal embodied in a carrierwave, the computer data signal controlling a server for managing facsimile image information to perform:

(a) an image information receiving step of receiving a plurality of facsimile image information;

(b) a nonvolatile storing step of storing the plurality of facsimile image information, which has been received by said image information receiving step, in a nonvolatile manner;

(c) an index information generating step of generating index information, which refers to each storage location of the plurality of facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storing step and each thumbnail image information of said facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storing step, when a request for obtaining index information from a client apparatus connected through a computer communication network is received;

(d) an index information transmitting step of transmitting a response, which includes the index information and the plurality of thumbnail image information therewith generated by said index information generating step, to said client apparatus, in order for the client apparatus to display said index information and said plurality of thumbnail image information in one display area, accepts an input for selecting one of said plurality of displayed thumbnail image information to select the storage location of the facsimile image information from said displayed index information associated with the selected thumbnail image information and send a request for the selected storage location of the facsimile image information to the server apparatus; and

(e) a facsimile information transmitting step of transmitting a response, which includes facsimile image information stored at a location specified by said nonvolatile storing step, to said client apparatus when a request for obtaining said facsimile information from the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network is received by said request receiving step after specifying the location where said facsimile image information is stored.

11. A method for managing facsimile image information comprising:

(a) an image information receiving step of receiving a plurality of facsimile image information;

(b) a nonvolatile storing step of storing the plurality of facsimile image information , which has been received by said image information receiving step, in a nonvolatile manner;

(c) an index information generating step of generating index information, which refers to each storage lo cation of the plurality of facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storing step and each thumbnail image information of said plurality of facsimile image information stored by said nonvolatile storing step, when a request for obtaining index information from a client apparatus connected through a computer communication network is received;

(d) an index information transmitting step of transmitting a response, which includes the index information and the plurality of thumbnail image information therewith generated by said index information generating step, to said client apparatus, in order for the client apparatus to display said index information and said plurality of thumbnail image information in one display area, accepts an input for selecting one of said plurality of displayed thumbnail image information to select the storage location of the facsimile image information from said displayed index information associated with the selected thumbnail image information and send a request for the selected storage location of the facsimile image information to the server apparatus; and

(e) a facsimile image information transmitting step of transmitting a response, which includes facsimile, image information stored at a location specified by said nonvolatile storing step, to said client apparatus when a request for obtaining said facsimile information from the client apparatus connected through the computer communication network is received by said request receiving step after specifying the location where said facsimile image information is stored.