System and method providing an embedded web server facsimile service

• US 6,898,624 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lea, Richard G., Young, Bruce M., Prenn, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gerezgiher, Yemane M.
• Application Number:
  US09/814,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/203, 709/218, 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 358/1.15, 358/407, 379/100.07, 379/100.08, 379/100.15, 379/100.17
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0024 Converting image communication control signals, e.g. group 3 facsimile protocol signals, to non-image communication control signals or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data

Abstract

The described system and procedure provides fax delivery services to a user that only has convenient access to a single-function networked printer device. To accomplish this, the system receives a facsimile sent to a telephone number. Responsive to receiving the facsimile, the facsimile is converted from a fax data format to a printable data format that is compatible with a printer device. Next, the converted facsimile is wrapped in a network transfer protocol language such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol to form a Web Page. Next, a Universal Resource Locator (URL) is identified that corresponds to the telephone number used to send the facsimile to the system. The URL identifies an embedded web server in a printer. Next, the Web page containing the converted facsimile is communicated to the identified embedded web server for printing by the printer.

Claims

1. A method providing a facsimile service, the method comprising:

receiving a facsimile sent to a telephone number;

responsive to receiving the facsimile;

(a) converting the facsimile from a fax format to a printable data format;

(b) wrapping the converted facsimile in a network transfer protocol language;

(c) identifying a Universal Resource Locator (URL) that corresponds to the telephone number, the URL identifying an embedded web server in a printer; and

(d) communicating the wrapped facsimile to the embedded web server for printing by the printer.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network transfer protocol language is HTTP or XML.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the printable data format comprises a PDF format, a GIF format, a JPG format, an ASCII format, or a PCL format.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a Point of Presence (POP) service provider.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a service provider that is implemented on the printer.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a service provider that is implemented between a phone jack, a telephone, and the printer.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, the method further comprising:

responsive to the communicating, receiving a message from the web server, the message corresponding to a status of the communicated facsimile.

8. A method as recited in claim 1:

wherein in the receiving, the facsimile is received by a server; and

wherein the wrapped facsimile comprises a header that indicates an address that corresponds to the server; and

,

wherein the method further comprises;

responsive to communicating the wrapped facsimile to the embedded web server, receiving a message from the embedded web server at the address, the message corresponding to a status of the communicated facsimile.

9. A method as recited in claim 8:

wherein the URL is a first URL;

wherein the address is selected from a set of addresses that comprise an e-mail address or a second URL; and

wherein the message comprises a successful print indication, a paper out indication, a toner out indication, or a paper jam indication.

10. A method as recited in claim 1:

wherein in the receiving, the facsimile is sent by a sender;

the method further comprising;

responsive to the communicating, receiving a message from the web server that corresponds to the communicated facsimile; and

responsive to receiving the message, forwarding a status to an entity selected from a group of entities comprising the sender or the embedded web server, the status indicating success or failure of the communicating.

11. One or more computer-readable media containing a computer executable program that performs a method as recited in claim 1.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by a service provider, a facsimile sent to a telephone number;

responsive to receiving the facsimile;

(a) converting the facsimile from a fax format to a printable data format;

(b) wrapping the converted facsimile in a network transfer protocol language;

(c) identifying a Universal Resource Locator (URL) that corresponds to the telephone number;

the URL identifying a web server module that is embedded in a printer;

(d) communicating the wrapped facsimile to the web server for printing by the printer;

(e) receiving, by the web server module, the communicated facsimile; and

(f) responsive to receiving the communicated facsimile, printing, by the printer, the communicated facsimile.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the network transfer protocol language is HTTP.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the printable data format comprises a PDF format, a GIF format, a JPG format, an ASCII format, or a PCL format.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, the method further comprising:

responsive to the communicating, receiving, by the service provider, a message from the web server module, the message corresponding to a status of the communicated facsimile.

16. A method as recited in claim 12:

wherein the wrapped facsimile comprises a header that indicates an address that corresponds to the service provider; and

,

wherein the method further comprises;

responsive to communicating the wrapped facsimile to the web server module, receiving a message from the web server module at the address, the message corresponding to a status of the communicated facsimile.

17. A method as recited in claim 16:

wherein the URL is a first URL;

wherein the address is selected from a set of addresses that comprise an e-mail address or a second URL; and

wherein the message comprises a successful print indication, a paper out indication, a toner out indication, or a paper jam indication.

18. A method as recited in claim 12:

wherein in the receiving, the facsimile is sent by a sender; and

wherein the method further comprises;

responsive to the communicating, receiving a message, by the service provider, from the web server module, the message corresponding to the communicated facsimile; and

responsive to receiving the message, forwarding, by the service provider, a status to an entity selected from a group of entities comprising the sender or the web server module, the status indicating success or failure of the communicating.

19. One or more computer-readable media containing a computer executable program that performs a method as recited in claim 12.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a service provider module operatively coupled to a telephone network;

an embedded web server module that is operatively coupled to the service provider module; and

a printer module operatively coupled to the embedded web server module;

wherein the service provider module is configured to receive a facsimile sent to a telephone number that corresponds to the embedded web server module, and communicate the facsimile to the embedded web server module in a manner that enables the printer module to print the communicated facsimile.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the service provider module is further configured to:

(a) convert the facsimile from a fax format to a printable data format;

(b) wrap the converted facsimile in a network transfer protocol language;

(c) identify a Universal Resource Locator (URL) that corresponds to the telephone number, the URL identifying the web server module; and

(d) communicate the wrapped facsimile to URL.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the embedded web server module is configured to receive the wrapped facsimile from the service provider module, and responsive to receiving the wrapped facsimile, the embedded web server module is further configured to send the facsimile to the printer module for printing.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the printer module is configured to receive the facsimile from the embedded web server module, and responsive to receiving the facsimile, the printer module is further configured to print the facsimile.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the network transfer protocol language is HTTP.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the printable data format comprises a PDF format, a GIF format, a JPG format, an ASCII format, or a PCL format.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 20:

wherein the embedded web server module is further configured to forward a message corresponding to the communicated facsimile to the service provider module in response to the communicated facsimile being successfully printed.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the message comprises a successful print indication, a paper out indication, a toner out indication, or a paper jam indication.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 21:

wherein the wrapped facsimile comprises a header that indicates an address that corresponds to the service provider module; and

,

wherein the service provider module is further configured to receive a message from the web server module at the address, the message corresponding to a status of the communicated facsimile.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 20:

wherein the service provider module is further configured to receive a message from the web server module that corresponds to the communicated facsimile, and wherein the service provider module is further configured to forward the message to an originator of the facsimile.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the message comprises a successful print indication, a paper out indication, a toner out indication, or a paper jam indication.

31. A printer comprising:

an embedded web server that is configured to receive an HTTP message that comprises a facsimile message sent to a telephone number, the fax message having been converted from a facsimile format to a printer format; and

wherein the printer is configured to print the facsimile message.

32. A printer as recited in claim 31, wherein the printer format comprises a PDF format, a GIF format, a JPG format, an ASCII format, or a PCL format.