US 5,552,901 A · Facsimile server system comprising a facsimile server and at least one remote facsimile

Abstract

A facsimile server system which can be utilized similarly to a stand-alone FAX. A remote FAX includes a scanner, a printer and a FAX communication unit. A client delivers document data to a FAX server, and makes a request for FAX transmission/printing. The FAX server expands the document data requested to be transmitted, into image data, and it transfers the image data to the appropriate remote FAX and gives a command for the FAX transmission/printing. When instructed to perform FAX transmission directly by a user, the remote FAX accepts the image of a handwritten document, and it subsequently delivers the image data of the document to the FAX server and makes a request for the FAX transmission. Besides, when the remote FAX has been commanded to scan image data or has received image data as FAX reception, it delivers the scanned image data or the received image data to the FAX server. Then, the FAX server accumulates the image data and offers them to the client in accordance with a retrieval process.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A facsimile server system which offers a facility of facsimile communication proceeding through a communication network, to at least one client connected to facsimile server system via a LAN (local area network), comprising:

a FAX (facsimile) server connected to said LAN, and at least one remote FAX connected to said LAN and said communication network;
said FAX server including LAN control means for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, document data storage means for storing therein at least one document data transferred from the client and requested to be transmitted via said communication network by said client, a transmission document table for registering therein that destination of the document data stored in said document data storage means which has been designated by said client, data conversion means for expanding said document data stored in said document data storage means, into image data on condition that said document data is not image data, and communication management means for transferring said image data which correspond to said document data requested to be transmitted, to the appropriate remote FAX, and for giving said appropriate remote FAX a command for performing the facsimile transmission to said destination which is registered in said transmission document table in correspondence with the transferred image data;
said remote FAX including a LAN control unit for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, a scanner for reading a pictorial image and then generating image data, a printer for printing a pictorial image expressed by image data, and FAX communication control means for performing the commanded facsimile transmission of the image data transferred from said FAX server, to the destination through said communication network.

A client/server system comprising;

a) a facsimile server system which offers a facility of facsimile communication proceeding through a communication network, to at least one client connected to said facsimile server system via a LAN (local area network);
and
b) a database connected to said LAN;
wherein said facsimile server system includes;
a FAX (facsimile) server connected to said LAN, and at least one remote FAX connected to said LAN and said communication network;
said FAX server including LAN control means for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, document data storage means for storing therein at least one document data which have been transferred from the client and requested to be transmitted via said communication network by said client, a transmission document table for registering therein that destination of the document data stored in said document data storage means which has been designated by said client, data conversion means for expanding said document data stored in said document data storage means, into image data on condition that said document data is not image data, and communication management means for transferring said image data which correspond to said document data requested to be transmitted, to the appropriate remote FAX, and for giving said appropriate remote FAX a command for performing the facsimile transmission to said destination which is registered in said transmission document table in correspondence with the transferred image data;
said remote FAX including a LAN control unit for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, a scanner for reading a pictorial image and then generating image data, a printer for printing a pictorial image expressed by image data, and FAX communication control means for performing the commanded facsimile transmission of the image data transferred from said FAX server, to the destination through said communication network;
and
said database server includes means for transferring document data generated in accordance with a predetermined procedure, to said FAX server, and requesting said FAX server to perform the facsimile transmission to a predetermined destination, when a predetermined event has occurred.

6 more elements

a FAX (facsimile) server connected to said LAN, and at least one remote FAX connected to said LAN and said communication network;
said FAX server including LAN control means for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, document data storage means for storing therein at least one document data transferred from said client and requested to be transmitted via said communication network by said client, a transmission document table for registering therein that destination of the document data stored in said document data storage means which has been designated by said client, data conversion means for expanding said document data stored in said document data storage means, into image data on condition that said document data is not image data, and communication management means for transferring said image data which correspond to said document data requested to be transmitted, to the appropriate remote FAX, and for giving said appropriate remote FAX a command for performing the facsimile transmission to said destination which is registered in said transmission document table in correspondence with the transferred image data;
said remote FAX including LAN control unit for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN and FAX communication control means for performing the commanded facsimile transmission of the image data transferred from said FAX server, to the destination through said communication network.

a FAX (facsimile) server connected to said LAN, and plurality of remote FAXes connected to said LAN and said communication network;
each of said remote FAXes including a LAN control unit for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, and FAX communication control means for receiving the facsimile transmission which proceeds through said communication network and for transferring received image data to said FAX server;
and
said FAX server including LAN control means for controlling a communication which proceeds through said LAN, document storage means for storing image data, and communication management means for storing the received image data transferred from the remote FAXes, in said document data storage means in correspondence with the respective remote FAXes.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facsimile server system comprising a facsimile server and at least one remote facsimile

Life of this patent

Facsimile server system comprising a facsimile server and at least one remote facsimile

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30