Methods and systems for fax routing

• US 8,031,360 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: j2 Cloud Services, LLC (Consensus Cloud Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: J2 Global, Inc.
• Inventors: Trandal, David S., Kirchhoff, Leland W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US12/877,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20110007885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/440, 358/442, 358/402, 358/407, 379/88.13, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/100.08, 379/100.09, 379/100.12, 379/133, 379/142.05, 379/207.02, 379/210.02, 379/265.09, 379/268
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/247 Telephone sets including user guidance or feature selection means facilitating their use user interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• 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 1/324 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 1/32422 Reprocessing messages, e.g. in case the intended destination is busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32438 Informing the addressee of reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3202 of communication or activity log or report

Abstract

In an illustrative embodiment, methods and systems are provided for processing facsimiles. A call processing system receives a first message transmitted from a first carrier system regarding a facsimile call to a phone address. The first message includes an identifier associated with the user. The identifier is used to determine if the user is authorized to receive call processing system services. If the user is authorized, a second message is transmitted to the first carrier system, the second message indicating that the first carrier system is to connect the call to the call processing system. The call processing system is connected to the call. A facsimile is received via the call at the call processing system. Information regarding the facsimile call is provided over a network, wherein some or all of the information is displayed in a call log visually accessible by the user.

Claims

1. A facsimile processing system, comprising:

a data store configured to store identification and contact information for a plurality of telecommunication service subscribers; and

a call processing system including a network interface and a program stored in computer-readable memory that when executed configures the call processing system to

receive a message that was transmitted from a carrier system in response to the carrier system receiving a call from a caller directed to a phone address associated with a user, the message including a phone address associated with the caller and an identifier associated with the user,

use information in the message and in the data store to determine if the user is a subscriber of a service offered by the call processing system, and if so then receive a facsimile via the call, log the call in a call processing system call log, and determine if a client associated with the user is online,

and if the client is online then enable the client to synchronize with the call processing system call log so that the call is included in a call log displayed by the client.

2. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system is to enable a log entry, displayed by the client for the call, to include a) information related to the length of the facsimile, b) the time of the call, and c) the identity of the caller.

3. The facsimile processing system of claim 2 wherein the call processing system is to enable the client to display the facsimile only in response to a user action.

4. The facsimile processing system of claim 2 wherein the call processing system is to enable the client to display the facsimile automatically.

5. The facsimile processing system of claim 2 wherein the call processing system is to stream the facsimile to the client so that a portion of the facsimile is received at the client before the call processing system receives all of the facsimile.

6. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system is to enable the client to display voice call log entries and facsimile call log entries.

7. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system is to enable the client to indicate whether there is a voice message associated with a call log entry.

8. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system is to use the phone address associated with the user to receive voice communications and facsimiles.

9. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system includes a Service Control Point that receives the first message from a Service Switching Point in the first carrier system.

10. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system is to respond to the message from the carrier system by instructing the carrier system how to route the call.

11. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the call processing system is to instruct the carrier system by transmitting an AIN-based message to the carrier system.

12. The facsimile processing system of claim 1 wherein the data store is configured to store facsimile-related instructions previously provided by the plurality of subscribers including an instruction regarding a subscriber-specified destination for facsimile receipt, and

wherein the call processing system is to access the user'"'"'s facsimile-related instruction from the data store, and then transmit the facsimile to a destination specified in the accessed instruction.

13. The facsimile processing system of claim 12 wherein the destination includes an email address.

14. The facsimile processing system of claim 12 wherein the destination includes an SMS address and/or an MMS address.

15. A networked system, comprising:

a data store configured to store identification and contact information for a plurality of telecommunication service subscribers; and

a call processing system including a network interface and a program stored in computer-readable memory that when executed configures the call processing system to

receive a first message that was transmitted from a carrier system, regarding a call to a phone address associated with a user, while the call is in progress, the first message including an identifier associated with the user,

use the identifier and information in the data store to determine if the user is authorized to receive services offered by the call processing system, and if so then transmit a second message to the carrier system, the second message indicating that the carrier system is to connect the call to the call processing system,

connect to the call and receive a facsimile via the call, and

provide information regarding the call over a network to a client that displays a call log which is visually accessible by the user.

16. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the call processing system is to log the call in a call processing system call log, determine if the client is online and if so then cause the client to synchronize with the call processing system call log so that the call is included in the call log that is displayed by the client.

17. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the call processing system configures the client'"'"'s call log to display voice call log entries and facsimile call entries, wherein a first call-type identifier is displayed in the call log in association with facsimile call entries to visually distinguish facsimile call entries from voice call entries.

18. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the call processing system is to use the phone address associated with the user to receive voice communications and facsimiles.

19. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the call processing system includes a Service Control Point that receives the first message from a Service Switching Point in the carrier system.

20. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the second message is an AIN-based message.

21. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the call processing system is to stream the facsimile to the client so that a portion of the facsimile is received at the client before the call processing system receives all of the facsimile.

22. The networked system of claim 15 wherein the data store is configured to store facsimile-related instructions previously provided by the plurality of subscribers including an instruction regarding a subscriber-specified destination for facsimile receipt, and

wherein the call processing system is to access the user'"'"'s facsimile-related instruction from the data store, and then transmit the facsimile to a destination specified in the accessed instruction.

23. The networked system of claim 22 wherein the destination includes an email address.

24. The networked system of claim 22 wherein the destination includes an SMS address and/or an MMS address.