Facsimile telecommunications system and method

A system for facilitating facsimile communications between a transmitting facsimile machine and at least one paperless receiving facsimile machine, comprising

• at least one store and forward facility, and
• means coupling the at least one store and forward facility to the switched telephone network for receiving facsimile messages from a transmitting facsimile machine,
• said store and forward facility including
• computer means for controlling operation of said store and forward facility,
• mass storage means for storing facsimile messages, together with information identifying the transmitting facsimile machine, under control of said computer means, and
• means coupling said store and forward facility to the switched telephone network for transmitting facsimile messages stored in the mass storage means to at least one paperless receiving facsimile machine,
• wherein individual subscribers may be provided with unique PIN numbers,
• wherein individual subscriber PIN numbers are stored in the mass storage means, and
• wherein said computer means is programmed to allow communication with the paperless receiving facsimile machine for display of the facsimile message upon receipt from said paperless receiving facsimile machine of at least the appropriate subscriber PIN number.

A method for facilitating facsimile communications between a transmitting facsimile machine and at least one paperless receiving facsimile machine, comprising steps of providing at least one store and forward facility having computer means for controlling operation of the store and forward facility and having mass storage means for storing facsimile messages;

• coupling the at least one store and forward facility to a switched telephone network for receiving facsimile messages from transmitting facsimile machines;
• recording received facsimile messages in the mass storage means together with information indicating the transmitting facsimile machine, including steps of
• defining mailboxes in the mass storage means associated with particular system subscribers, and
• storing facsimile messages for those particular system subscribers in their respective mailboxes;
• and
• transmitting facsimile messages stored in the mass storage means to paperless receiving facsimile machines, including steps of
• in response to initiation by a system subscriber, transmitting facsimile messages stored in that subscriber's mailbox to a paperless facsimile terminal machine associated with that subscriber for display on a screen.

A system for facilitating facsimile communications between transmitting facsimile machines and receiving facsimile machines, including at least one paperless facsimile terminal machine, comprising

• at least one store and forward facility, and
• means coupling the at least one store and forward facility to a switched telephone network for receiving transmissions from the at least one transmitting facsimile machine,
• said store and forward facility including
• computer means for controlling operation of said store and forward facility,
• mass storage means for storing facsimile transmissions, together with information identifying the transmitting facsimile machine, under control of said computer means, and
• means coupling said store and forward facility to the switched telephone network for transmitting facsimile messages stored in the mass storage means to at least one paperless facsimile terminal machine,
• wherein said mass storage means additionally includes mailboxes associated with particular system subscribers,
• wherein facsimile messages received and stored by the mass storage means for those subscribers are stored in the respective mailboxes, and
• wherein said store and forward facility is programmed to communicate with the paperless facsimile terminal machine in both computer communication mode and facsimile communication mode so that the facsimile messages stored in that subscriber's mailbox can be transmitted to said paperless facsimile terminal machine for display on a display screen.

A system for facilitating facsimile communications, said system comprising:

• a transmitting facsimile machine;
• a receiving facsimile machine;
• and
• a store and forward facility including, at least,
• a computer means for controlling operation of the store and forward facility,
• a mass storage means for storing facsimile messages together with information identifying the transmitting facsimile machine, and
• a coupling means for coupling the store and forward facility to a receiving transmission network for receiving facsimile messages from the transmitting facsimile machine and for coupling the store and forward facility to a forwarding transmission network for transmitting facsimile messages to the receiving facsimile machine,
• wherein said receiving facsimile machine includes, at least, a personal computer means for communicating with said store and forward facility and for electronically displaying facsimile messages.

A system for facilitating receipt of facsimile messages from transmitting facsimile devices, said system comprising:

• a facsimile store and forward facility coupled to a switched telephone network;
• and
• a paperless facsimile device coupled to the switched telephone network,
• wherein said facsimile store and forward facility and said paperless facsimile device are both configured to communicate with one another to transfer to said paperless facsimile device facsimile messages received by said facsimile store and forward facility from transmitting facsimile machines and stored in said facsimile store and forward facility.

A method for operating a facsimile store and forward facility to facilitate facsimile communications, said method comprising steps of:

• providing a facsimile store and forward facility accessible through a switched telephone network;
• receiving facsimile messages at the facsimile store and forward facility from transmitting facsimile machines;
• storing the facsimile messages at the facsimile store and forward facility;
• receiving a call from a paperless facsimile device at the facsimile store and forward facility;
• and
• transmitting facsimile messages stored in the facsimile store and forward facility from the facsimile store and forward facility to the paperless facsimile device.

A method for accessing a facsimile store and forward facility to facilitate facsimile communications, said method comprising steps of:

• calling the facsimile store and forward facility from a paperless facsimile device;
• transmitting a delivery request from the paperless facsimile device for delivery of at least one facsimile message stored in the facsimile store and forward facility;
• and
• receiving delivery at the paperless facsimile device from the facsimile store and forward facility of the at least one facsimile message stored in the facsimile store and forward facility.

A method for accessing a facsimile store and forward facility to facilitate facsimile communications, said method comprising steps of:

• calling the facsimile store and forward facility from a paperless facsimile device;
• transmitting a broadcast request from the paperless facsimile device to the facsimile store and forward facility;
• and
• transmitting a facsimile message from the paperless facsimile device to the facsimile store and forward facility for storage and delivery to multiple destinations.

A paperless facsimile device comprising:

• display means for displaying a facsimile message;
• input means connected to said display means for receiving user input;
• and
• interface means connected to said display means and said input means for controlling said display means, for interfacing with a facsimile store and forward facility, and for manipulating facsimile messages stored in the facsimile store and forward facility.