# US 10,455,097 B2 · System and method for sending, delivery or receiving of faxes, over a computer based network according to security or other protocols > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,097 B2 - Document ID: US10455097B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/251,942 - Filed: 2016-08-30 - Published: 2017-03-02 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-31 - Assignees: Open Text SA ULC - Applicants: Open Text SA ULC - Inventors: Brian Lee Lennstrom - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455097B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/0022: {involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols} - H04N 1/00302: {with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal (H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Embodiments of systems and methods for the sending, delivery and receiving of faxes according to particular protocols are disclosed. Certain embodiments may receive a fax from a sender and determine if the ability exists to send the fax over a computer based network according to a particular protocol. If there is no destination associated with the fax number for the protocol the fax may be sent according to the fax number. If, however, there is a destination for the protocol associated with the fax number an attempt is made to send the fax to the destination according to the protocol. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for sending a fax as a Direct Message, comprising: a faxing system configured to send the fax; and a traffic manager, the traffic manager including a computer readable medium having instructions for: receiving a fax including a document and a destination telephone number from a sender; determining if there is a Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, wherein the Direct Address is an email address linked to an associated certificate that confirms the identity of a domain name or address; if there is the Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, initiating a sending of a Direct Message with the document of the fax to the Direct Address; and if there is not the Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, sending the fax through the fax system based on the destination telephone number and sending an invitation fax to the destination telephone number through the fax system, wherein the invitation fax includes a location to access an interface through a computer based network to provide or obtain the Direct Address to associate with the destination telephone number of the fax. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein sending the fax comprises determining a second destination on a computer based network associated with the telephone number and sending the fax to the second destination over the computer based network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein sending the fax comprises sending the fax to the destination telephone number over a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the document is received over a computer based network in an unstructured print stream format. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the computer readable medium has instructions for converting the document to a searchable format before initiating the sending of the Direct Message. ### Claim 6 A method for sending a fax as a Direct Message, comprising: receiving a fax including a document and a destination telephone number from a sender; determining if there is a Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, wherein the Direct Address is an email address linked to an associated certificate that confirms the identity of a domain name or address; if there is the Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, initiating a sending of a Direct Message with the document of the fax to the Direct Address; and if there is not the Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, sending the fax based on the destination telephone number and sending an invitation fax to the destination telephone number through the fax system, wherein the invitation fax includes a location to access an interface through a computer based network to provide or obtain the Direct Address to associate with the destination telephone number of the fax. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein sending the fax comprises determining a second destination on a computer based network associated with the telephone number and sending the fax to the second destination over the computer based network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein sending the fax comprises sending the fax to the destination telephone number over a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the document is received over a computer based network in an unstructured print stream format. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising converting the document to a searchable format before initiating the sending of the Direct Message. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for sending a fax as a Direct Message by: receiving a fax including a document and a destination telephone number from a sender; determining if there is a Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, wherein the Direct Address is an email address linked to an associated certificate that confirms the identity of a domain name or address; if there is the Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, initiating a sending of a Direct Message with the document of the fax to the Direct Address; and if there is not the Direct Address associated with the destination telephone number, sending the fax based on the destination telephone number and sending an invitation fax to the destination telephone number through the fax system, wherein the invitation fax includes a location to access an interface through a computer based network to provide or obtain the Direct Address to associate with the destination telephone number of the fax. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein sending the fax comprises determining a second destination on a computer based network associated with the telephone number and sending the fax to the second destination over the computer based network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein sending the fax comprises sending the fax to the destination telephone number over a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN). ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the document is received over a computer based network in an unstructured print stream format. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for converting the document to a searchable format before initiating the sending of the Direct Message.