Facsimile system, method and program product with junk fax disposal

• US 20050088702A1
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Samuels, Donald J., Advocate, William H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,715,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00832 Recording use, e.g. counting number of pages copied
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32005 Automation of particular receiver jobs, e.g. rejecting unwanted calls requesting a communication from a transmitter H04N1/32771; with picture signal storage for forwarding messages H04N1/32358
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32021 according to the type of received information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32026 Changing the receiver mode of operation, e.g. paper reception to memory reception or vice versa H04N1/32673 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence

Abstract

A method, system and program product for comparing a junk fax image stored in a database to an incoming facsimile image to determine whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax. If the facsimile image is a junk fax, the image is either deleted or the communication terminated. The invention also provides a junk fax determinator by which an incoming facsimile image can be designated as a junk fax. In one embodiment, a recipient (user) can make the determination as to whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax and generate a personal junk fax database. In another embodiment, the recipient (user) can scan a hard copy document to form an incoming facsimile image, which can be saved as a junk fax in a personal junk fax database.

Claims

1. A method of handling a facsimile image received by a facsimile system, the method comprising the steps of:

comparing a junk fax image stored in a junk fax database to an incoming facsimile image; and

disposing of the incoming facsimile image in the case that the junk fax image matches at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the case that a match does not exist, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the incoming facsimile image is of a junk fax; and

saving at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image as a junk fax image in the junk fax database in the case that the incoming facsimile image is of a junk fax.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining step includes:

displaying at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image, and

allowing a recipient to determine whether the incoming facsimile image is of a junk fax.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the junk fax image includes at least a portion of an analyzed facsimile image that has been designated as a junk fax.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the junk fax image database includes a plurality of junk fax images, and the step of disposing occurs in the case that at least one of the plurality of junk fax images matches at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the disposing step includes one of:

a) deleting the incoming facsimile image; and

b) terminating communication of the incoming facsimile image to the facsimile system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

calculating a toner count of at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image; and

processing the incoming facsimile image in the case that the toner count is below a threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming facsimile image is generated by scanning a hard copy document.

9. A facsimile system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an incoming facsimile image; and

a junk fax analyzer comprising;

a comparator configured to compare a junk fax image to the incoming facsimile image; and

a disposal configured to dispose of the incoming facsimile image in the case that the junk fax image matches at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the junk fax analyzer further comprises a toner count calculator configured to calculate a toner count of at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the junk fax analyzer further comprises:

a junk fax determinator configured to determine whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax, and save at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image as a junk fax image in a junk fax database in the case that the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the junk fax determinator includes:

a display configured to display at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image; and

an interface configured to allow a recipient to input whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the junk fax determinator further comprises a selecter configured to allow the recipient to select at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image to be saved as the junk fax image.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the junk fax image includes at least a portion of one of:

an analyzed facsimile image from a previous communication to the facsimile system and an image of a hard copy document.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the junk fax image includes a plurality of junk fax images, and the step of disposing occurs in the case that at least one of the plurality of junk fax images matches at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the disposal includes:

a) means for deleting the incoming facsimile image; and

b) means for terminating communication of the incoming facsimile image to the facsimile system.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for analyzing an image on a facsimile system, the program product comprising:

program code configured to compare a junk fax image stored in a junk fax database to an incoming facsimile image; and

program code configured to dispose of the incoming facsimile image in the case that the junk fax image matches at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image.

18. The program product of claim 17, further comprising program code configured to determine whether the incoming facsimile image is of a junk fax in the case that a match does not exist, and save at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image as a junk fax image in a junk fax database in the case that the incoming facsimile image is of a junk fax.

19. The program product of claim 18, wherein the determining program code includes:

program code configured to display at least a portion of the incoming facsimile image; and

program code configured to allow a recipient to input whether the incoming facsimile image is a junk fax.

20. The program product of claim 17, wherein the disposing program code includes program code configured to conduct one of:

a) delete the incoming facsimile image; and

b) terminate communication of the incoming facsimile image to the facsimile system.