Facsimile to E-mail communication system
DCFirst Claim
1. An Internet based server system, comprising:
- a facsimile-to-e-mail server in communication with at least one communication network, wherein the facsimile-to-e-mail server is configured to—
receive facsimile information from a facsimile device in communication with the server;
receive a destination e-mail address for the facsimile information from the facsimile device, wherein the destination e-mail address is received in and interpreted from an alphanumeric form;
convert the received facsimile information into a computer readable image file;
attach the computer readable image file to an e-mail message to be sent to the destination e-mail address; and
send the facsimile information to the destination e-mail address via the communication network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fax to E-mail system and related method are shown, whereby a hardcopy document is sent via a fax device to its recipient via electronic mail through a data network (such as the Internet), and is delivered in such a manner that it can be retrieved by the recipient at an E-mail device, in the ordinary course of retrieving the E-mail, and displayed on the screen of the E-mail device. The invention provides for and accomplishes the delivery of a document, which begins as a hardcopy, as an electronic file retrieved through E-mail recipient'"'"'s terminal and displayed on the computer screen of the E-mail recipient'"'"'s terminal. The system and method also provides for an interface device which connects to a conventional fax device for communicating E-mail addresses and routing hardcopy documents to the E-mail network. The invention provides a means for embedding the functions of the interface device into conventional fax devices. The system can also be used in cooperation with Internet Web service for reporting, accounting, information services, and user interaction.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An Internet based server system, comprising:
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a facsimile-to-e-mail server in communication with at least one communication network, wherein the facsimile-to-e-mail server is configured to— receive facsimile information from a facsimile device in communication with the server; receive a destination e-mail address for the facsimile information from the facsimile device, wherein the destination e-mail address is received in and interpreted from an alphanumeric form; convert the received facsimile information into a computer readable image file; attach the computer readable image file to an e-mail message to be sent to the destination e-mail address; and send the facsimile information to the destination e-mail address via the communication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, if executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
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receiving facsimile information from a facsimile device; receiving, in an alphanumeric form from the facsimile device, a destination e-mail address to which the facsimile information is to be sent; interpreting the destination e-mail address from the alphanumeric form; converting the received facsimile information into a computer readable image file; composing an e-mail message with the computer readable image file as an attachment to be sent to the destination e-mail address; and transmitting the e-mail message to an e-mail server associated with the received destination e-mail address. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An Internet based server communication system, comprising:
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a server in communication with a first communications network and a second communications network different than the first communications network, wherein the server is configured to receive facsimile information in a first format and receive and interpret a destination e-mail address in an alphanumeric format from a remote facsimile device via the first communications network, wherein the server is further configured to compose a system generated e-mail message with the computer readable image data as an attachment, and wherein the e-mail message and attachment are transmitted to the destination e-mail address, and wherein the server is further configured to transmit the facsimile information in a second format different than the first format to the destination e-mail address via the second communications network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An Internet based server communication system for communicating, with a public communication network (“
- PN”
) and a global computer communications network, facsimile information, the system comprising;a facsimile device for generating facsimile information and an e-mail address in an alphanumeric format, wherein the facsimile device is configured to communicate with the PN; an interface device configured to facilitate communications between the facsimile device and a server, and to facilitate delivery of facsimile information from the facsimile device to the e-mail address associated with the computer communications network, the interface device configured to receive and interpret the e-mail address in an alphanumeric format from the facsimile device; and a server configured to communicate with the PN and the computer communications network, wherein the server is further configured to— convert the received facsimile information into a computer readable image file; and attach the computer readable image file to an e-mail message to be sent to the destination e-mail address.
- PN”
Specification