Network fax machine using a web page as a user interface

• US 7,180,638 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Hamadani, Yahya, Hou, Xiaoan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Cheukfan
• Application Number:
  US09/504,965
• Time in Patent Office: 2,561 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/402, 358/403, 358/407, 358/434, 358/439, 358/440, 358/442, 358/468, 358/450, 358/1.15, 379/88.13, 379/100.01, 379/93.14, 379/93.15, 709/206, 382/305, 382/306
• US Class Current: 358/439
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00214 details of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• 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 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• 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 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report

Abstract

A network fax machine for faxing files received from a remote client includes a server unit and a fax control unit. The server unit sends a fax document form to a remote client and receives fax information from the remote client. The fax information includes an identifier corresponding to a destination fax machine and a file to be faxed to the destination fax machine. The fax control unit is configured to use the identifier to connect the network fax machine to the destination fax machine and configured to send the file to the destination fax machine by facsimile communication.

Claims

1. A network fax machine for faxing files received from a remote client, comprising:

a server unit configured to send a fax document form to a remote client over a network using an HTTP communication protocol and configured to receive fax information entered using a Web browser on said fax document form from the remote client using the HTTP communication protocol, the fax information including (1) an identifier identifying a destination fax machine, and (2) a file stored on the remote client to be faxed to the destination fax machine; and

a fax control unit configured to use the identifier to connect the network fax machine to the destination fax machine and configured to send the file to the destination fax machine by facsimile communication, wherein the destination fax machine is located remotely from the remote client.

2. A network fax machine according to claim 1, wherein the server unit comprises:

a hypertext transfer protocol server configured to serve a hypertext markup language document to the remote client, the hypertext markup language document including the fax document form.

3. A network fax machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a network adapter, the network adapter including the server unit.

4. A network fax machine according to claim 3, wherein the network adapter comprises:

a network interface card.

5. A network fax machine according to claim 1, wherein the fax control unit is configured to connect to a public switched telephone network and is configured to send the file to the destination fax machine via the public switched telephone network.

6. A network fax machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a common gateway interface configured to read and parse the fax information received by the server unit.

7. A network fax machine according to claim 6, further comprising:

a fax job manager configured to convert the file to be faxed into a facsimile format.

8. A method for faxing files received from a remote client, comprising:

sending a fax document form to a remote client over a network using an HTTP communication protocol;

receiving, by a network fax machine, fax information entered using a Web browser on said fax document form from the remote client using the HTTP communication protocol, the fax information including (1) an identifier identifying a destination fax machine, and (2) a file stored on the remote client to be faxed to the destination fax machine;

connecting the network fax machine to the destination fax machine using the identifier; and

sending the file to the destination fax machine by facsimile communication, wherein the destination fax machine is located remotely from the remote client.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of sending comprises:

serving a hypertext markup language document to the remote client, the hypertext markup language document including the fax document form.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of connecting comprises:

connecting to a public switched telephone network; and

wherein the step of sending comprises;

sending the file to the destination fax machine via the public switched telephone network.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

reading and parsing the fax information received from the remote client.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

converting the file to be faxed into a facsimile format.

13. A network fax machine for faxing files received from a remote client, comprising:

means for sending a fax document form to a remote client over a network using an HTTP communication protocol;

means for receiving fax information entered using a Web browser on said fax document form from the remote client using the HTTP communication protocol, the fax information including (1) an identifier identifying a destination fax machine, and (2) a file stored on the remote client to be faxed to the destination fax machine;

means for connecting the network fax machine to the destination fax machine using the identifier; and

means for sending the file to the destination fax machine by facsimile communication, wherein the destination fax machine is located remotely from the remote client.

14. A network fax machine according to claim 13, wherein the means for sending a fax document form to a remote client and for receiving fax information from the remote client comprises:

means for serving a hypertext markup language document to the remote client, the hypertext markup language document including the fax document form.

15. A network fax machine according to claim 13, wherein the means for connecting the network fax machine to the destination fax machine comprises:

means for connecting the network fax machine to a public switched telephone network; and

wherein the means for sending the file to the destination fax machine by facsimile communication comprises;

means for sending the file to the destination fax machine via the public switched telephone network.

16. A network fax machine according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for reading and parsing the fax information received by the means for receiving.

17. A network fax machine according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for converting the file to be faxed into a facsimile format.

18. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a computer system, which when executed by a network fax machine, cause the network fax machine to perform method steps for faxing files received from a remote client, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a fax document form to a remote client over a network using an HTTP communication protocol;

receiving fax information entered using a Web browser on said fax document form from the remote client using the HTTP communication protocol, the fax information including (1) an identifier identifying a destination fax machine, and (2) a file stored on the remote client to be faxed to the destination fax machine;

connecting the network fax machine to the destination fax machine using the identifier; and

sending the file to the destination fax machine by facsimile communication, wherein the destination fax machine is located remotely from the remote client and the remote client.

19. A computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the step of sending comprises:

serving a hypertext markup language document to the remote client, the hypertext markup language document including the fax document form.

20. A computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the step of connecting comprises:

connecting to a public switched telephone network; and

wherein the step of sending comprises;

sending the file to the destination fax machine via the public switched telephone network.

21. A computer readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising program instructions for causing the computer to perform the step of:

reading and parsing the fax information received from the remote client.

22. A computer readable medium according to claim 21, further comprising program instructions for causing the computer to perform the step of

converting the file to be faxed into a facsimile format.