Secure system for delivery of a fax to a remote user

• US 7,268,899 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Crumly, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Popovici; Dov
• Application Number:
  US10/062,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/400, 358/402, 358/403, 358/405, 358/407, 358/442, 358/435, 358/434, 358/404, 358/1.14, 358/1.13, 382/115, 382/116, 382/117, 382/118, 382/124, 382/128, 713/186, 713/189
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• 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 1/32432 in a particular memory file for retrieval by the user, e.g. in a facsimile mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/444 to a particular document or image or part thereof

Abstract

A system for the remote retrieval of at least one document sent by facsimile transmission using a repository server for storing at least one document for a recipient at a location using a remote system connected to the system. Security apparatus for the system includes apparatus, such as a smartcard, to identify, to validate, and to locate a remote user of a remote system connected to the system when the user is connected to the repository server for retrieving at least one document stored by the repository server. Upon validation of identification of a user, any or all documents may be retrieved by a user.

Claims

1. A system for providing secure delivery of documents sent by facsimile transmission to remote users, comprising:

a plurality of remote systems for documents sent by facsimile transmission, each remote system including;

a security apparatus integrated within a kiosk for identifying and for validating an identity of a user, the security apparatus including identification of a user before accepting a first document sent by facsimile transmission utilizing at least one apparatus for scanning a finger print of a user, scanning a set of facial characteristics of a user, or scanning an eye of a user; and

at least one repository server connected to the remote systems for storing at least one or more documents sent by facsimile transmission and for transmitting a first document sent by facsimile transmission to one of the remote systems at which the user has been identified and validated,

wherein the user is able to receive the first document at any of the remote systems at which the user has been identified and validated.

2. The system in claim 1, further comprising a multifunction device operable for printing out the first document sent by facsimile transmission from the at least one repository server.

3. The system in claim 1, wherein:

each remote system further comprises;

scanner apparatus for reading a second document sent by facsimile transmission; and

transmission apparatus for transmitting the second document sent by facsimile transmission to the at least one repository server.

4. The system in claim 1, wherein:

the repository servers and the remote systems further comprise;

a security system for providing security between the at least one repository server and the remote systems.

5. The system in claim 4, wherein:

the security system includes encryption.

6. A repository server for documents transmitted by facsimile transmission for providing secure delivery of documents sent by facsimile transmission to users at remote locations, the repository server comprising:

non-volatile storage medium apparatus for storing at least one document of a plurality of documents, the repository server for transmitting a set of validation information, comprising at least one of finger print information of a user, facial characteristic information of a user, or retinal identification information of a user, to any of a plurality of remote systems, each remote system incorporated within a kiosk, for validating an identity of a user of the remote systems and for transmitting the at least one document sent by facsimile transmission to the one of the remote systems at which the identity of the user has been validated

wherein the user is able to receive the at least one document at any of the remote systems at which the user has been identified and validated.

7. A method for providing secure delivery of documents sent by facsimile transmission from a system to a remote user of a plurality of remote systems, comprising:

providing the remote systems, each remote system part of a kiosk, for sending documents by facsimile transmission including;

security apparatus for identifying and for validating an identity of a user, the security apparatus including identification of a user before accepting a first document sent by facsimile transmission;

providing at least one repository server connected to the remote systems for storing at least one or more documents sent by facsimile transmission and for transmitting a first document sent by facsimile transmission to one of the remote systems at which the user has been identified and validated;

verifying the identity of a user at one of the remote systems using the security apparatus comprising scanning a finger print of a user, scanning a set of facial characteristics of a user, or scanning an eye of a user; and

the at least one repository server sending the first document to the remote system at which the user has been identified and validated,

wherein the user is able to receive the at least one document at any of the remote systems at which the user has been identified and validated.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

printing the first document for printing out the first document sent by facsimile transmission from the at least one repository server.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

scanning a second document using scanner apparatus for reading the second document for sending by facsimile transmission; and

transmitting the second document using transmission apparatus for transmitting the second document for sending by facsimile transmission to the at least one repository server.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

providing security between the at least one repository server and the remote systems.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

encrypting at least one document; and

transmitting the at least one document using facsimile transmission.