Facsimile telecommunications system and method

• US 7,365,884 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Catch Curve, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Catch Curve, Inc.
• Inventors: Kennedy, James R., Gordon, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US11/426,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 358/407, 358/400, 358/479, 358/402, 358/404, 358/405, 358/434, 358/410, 358/435, 358/436, 358/438, 358/439, 358/401, 358/403, 358/442, 358/440, 379/100.01, 379/109, 379/100.08, 379/100.09, 379/100.12, 379/100.15, 379/100.16, 370/61
• US Class Current: 358/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32064 Multi-address calling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32422 Reprocessing messages, e.g. in case the intended destination is busy
• 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 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating facsimile transmissions has one or more store and forward facilities, each associated with a plurality of subscriber facsimile machines, typically coupled over the switched telephone network. The store and forward facsimiles include a computer for controlling operations and mass data storage equipment. A subscriber to the system delivers an outgoing facsimile message to the store and forward facility with which it is associated, which records the fax message together with data as to originating facsimile machine and destination facsimile machine. The store and forward facility then delivers the facsimile message to the intended receiver facsimile machine, either directly or through another store and forward facility. If unsuccessful on an initial attempt, the store and forward facility periodically retrys to send the facsimile message. The system also provides spooling of all facsimile messages for an intended receiver machine, which are all transmitted upon making connection with the receiver machine. Subscriber mailboxes are provided as part of the mass storage, which can be accessed by a subscriber to have his messages delivered to any facsimile machine he designates. Secure facsimile transmission is achieved through use of subscriber PIN numbers. Broadcasting, redirecting messages and cost accounting can also be achieved by the system and method.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a computer cause the computer to deliver a facsimile image by performing the steps comprising of:

a) associating each telephone number of a first plurality of telephone numbers on a switched telephone network with an intended recipient of a first plurality of intended facsimile recipients;

b) receiving a telephone call directed to one of the telephone numbers of the first plurality of telephone numbers as a result of a sender dialing one of the telephone numbers;

c) answering the received telephone call and interacting using facsimile protocol with an originating fax machine on the other end of the call;

d) during the call, receiving from the originating fax device a fax message, using facsimile protocol; and

e) directing the fax message to one of the destinations selected from the group consisting of (i) an electronic mailbox defined in a computer storage and associated prior to the receipt of the call with a particular recipient and with the particular one of the plurality of telephone numbers and (ii) a fax receiving device.

2. The media of claim 1, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of transmitting the fax message from the mailbox to a fax device in response to instructions received from the particular recipient associated with the mailbox.

3. The media of claim 1, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of providing access to a fax message in the mailbox of a particular recipient by the recipient via a computer terminal.

4. The media of claim 3, and storing further instructions for performing the step comprising of enabling, after providing access to the mailbox, one or more of actions selected from the group consisting of:

viewing a queue of facsimile messages in the particular recipient'"'"'s mailbox;

selecting facsimile messages from the queue;

deleting messages from the queue;

arranging the queue according to priority;

reading fax messages in the particular recipient'"'"'s mailbox;

displaying at the computer terminal a facsimile message stored in the particular recipient'"'"'s mailbox;

redirecting a facsimile message in the particular subscriber'"'"'s mailbox to a facsimile device; and

redirecting a facsimile message in the particular recipient'"'"'s mailbox to a printer.

5. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a computer cause the computer to operate as a facsimile sore and forward facility accessible through a switched telephone network by performing the steps comprising:

a) receiving facsimile messages at the facsimile store and forward facility from transmitting facsimile machines;

b) storing the facsimile messages at the facsimile store and forward facility;

c) receiving a call from a paperless facsimile device at the facsimile store and forward facility; and

d) transmitting facsimile messages stored in the facsimile store and forward facility from the facsimile store and forward facility to the paperless facsimile device.

6. The media of claim 5, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of receiving from the paperless facsimile device at least one delivery request for at least one facsimile message stored in the facsimile store and forward facility.

7. The media of claim 6, wherein the delivery request is in the form of a command in a computer communication mode.

8. The media of claim 5, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of communicating to the paperless facsimile device a list of facsimile messages stored in the facsimile store and forward facility.

9. The media of claim 5, wherein the instruction for performing the storing step comprise instructions for storing the facsimile messages in facsimile mailboxes associated with particular subscribers.

10. The media of claim 9, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of receiving from the paperless facsimile device a security code required for access to a particular facsimile mailbox.

11. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a computer cause the computer to operate as a facsimile store and forward facsimile accessible through a switched telephone network by performing the steps comprising:

a) assigning to each system subscriber of a plurality of system subscribers a destination telephone number, wherein the dialing of the destination telephone number of each system subscriber results in the related telephone call being switched by a switched telephone network to the store and forward facility;

b) receiving over time at the store and forward facility a plurality of telephone calls, each call of said plurality of telephone calls being switched to the store and forward facility by the switched telephone network as result of a sender dialing one of the destination telephone numbers, whereby each such received call results in an originating telephone call connection being made;

c) receiving during the originating telephone call connections, at the facsimile store and forward facility, facsimile messages from transmitting facsimile machines;

d) storing the facility messages at the facsimile store and forward facility;

e) receiving at the facsimile store and forward facility a call from paperless facsimile device; and

f) transmitting facsimile messages stored in the facsimile store and forward facility from the facsimile store and forward facility to the paperless facsimile device.

12. The media of claim 11, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of receiving from the paperless facsimile device at least one delivery request for at least one facsimile message stored in the facsimile store and forward facility.

13. The media of claim 11, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of communicating to the paperless facsimile device at least of facsimile messages stored in the facsimile store and forward facility.

14. The media of claim 11, wherein the instruction for performing the storing step comprise instructions for storing the facsimile messages in facsimile mailboxes associated with particular subscribers.

15. The media of claim 14, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of receiving from the paperless facsimile device a security code required for access to a particular facsimile mailbox.

16. The media of claims 14, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of, in response to instructions received from a subscriber, transmitting facsimile messages stored in that subscriber'"'"'s mailbox to a facsimile machine designated by that subscriber in the instructions.

17. The media of claim 14, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of, in response to instructions received from a subscriber, transmitting facsimile messages stored in that subscriber'"'"'s mailbox, via the public switched telephone network, to any particular facsimile device designated in the instructions by the subscriber, whereby a subscriber who is traveling or otherwise away from the fixed location of his facsimile device may have facsimile messages collected in his mailbox, and retrieve them from any location where any other facsimile device is situated.

18. The media of claim 11, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of associating a mailbox defined in at least one computer storage device with each particular subscriber of the plurality of subscribers, and wherein the instructions for performing the storing step comprise instructions for directing facsimile messages received over an originating telephone call connection to the mailbox associated with the particular subscriber to whom the respective dialed one of the destination telephone numbers is assigned.

19. The media of claim 18, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of, in response to instructions received from a subscriber, transmitting facsimile messages stored in that subscriber'"'"'s mailbox to a facsimile machine designated by that subscriber in the instructions.

20. The media of claim 18, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of, in response to instructions received from a subscriber, transmitting facsimile messages stored in that subscriber'"'"'s mailbox, via the public switched telephone network, to any particular facsimile device designated in the instructions by the subscriber, whereby a subscriber who is traveling or otherwise away from the fixed location of his facsimile device may have facsimile messages collected in his mailbox, and retrieve them from any location where any other facsimile device is situated.

21. The media of claim 18, wherein the instructions for performing the transmitting step comprise instructions for transmitting facsimile message stored in that subscriber'"'"'s mailbox to the paperless facsimile device for display on a screen during a communication session initiated by a paperless facsimile device operating in a computer communication mode.

22. The media of claim 18, and storing further instruction for performing the step comprising of providing to the subscriber at the paperless facsimile device, during the communication session, at least two of the user options selected from the group consisting of:

viewing a queue of facsimile messages in the particular subscriber'"'"'s mailbox;

selecting facsimile messages from the queue;

deleting messages from the queue;

arranging the queue according to priority; and

reading fax messages in the particular subscriber'"'"'s mailbox.

23. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that upon execution by a computer means within a store and forward facility having a mass storage means for storing facsimile messages and coupled to a switched telephone network for receiving facsimile messages from transmitting facsimile machines, wherein the stored instructions cause the computer means to control operation of the store and forward facility to facilitate facsimile communication between a transmitting facsimile machine and an intended receiving facsimile machine by performing the steps comprising of:

a) assigning to each system a subscriber of a plurality of system subscriber a destination telephone number, wherein the dialing of the destination telephone number of each system subscriber results in the related telephone call being switched by the switched telephone network to the at least one store and forward facility,

b) defining mailboxes in the mass storage means associated with particular system subscribers,

c) receiving over time at the store and forward facility a plurality of telephone calls, each call of said plurality of telephone calls being switched to the store and forward facility by the switched telephone network as a result of a sender dialing one of the destination telephone numbers, whereby each such received call results in an originating telephone call connection being made,

d) receiving during the originating telephone call connections, at the at least one store and forward facility, facsimile messages from transmitting facsimile machines,

e) recording the received messages in the mass storage means together with information indicating the respective transmitting facsimile machine and the respective intended receiving facsimile machine,

f) storing facsimile messaged intended for the particular system subscribers in their respective mailboxes, and

g) in response to instructions received from a system subscriber, transmitting via the switched telephone network facsimile messages stored in that subscriber'"'"'s mailbox to a facsimile machine designated by that subscriber in the instructions.