Fax-to-email and email-to-fax communication system and method
AssigneeMongoNet
InventorMatthew K. Henry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A facsimile/email communication system and method providing a user the ability to send emails from any standalone facsimile machine and providing a user the ability to logon to a centralized web server and send facsimiles to any standalone fax machine.
Claims61
A system for communicating an email to an email destination from a facsimile protocol compliant communication device, comprising:
- a facsimile server configured to receive, from the facsimile protocol compliant communication device, a facsimile in a facsimile image format, the facsimile including an email address corresponding to the email destination;
- a character recognizer in communication with the facsimile server and configured to extract the email address from the facsimile;
- a first format converter configured to receive the facsimile and convert the facsimile image format to an email format suitable for transport over an email system;
- and
- an email server configured to receive the email and extracted email address and transmit the email to the email destination.
A method of communicating an email to an email destination from a facsimile protocol compliant communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a facsimile in a facsimile image format from the facsimile protocol compliant communication device to a remote operating center, the facsimile including an email address corresponding to the email destination;
- extracting the email address from the facsimile;
- converting the facsimile image format to an email having an email format;
- transmitting the email to the email destination;
- and
- generating a confirmation page in the facsimile image format, at the remote operating center, and sending the confirmation page to the facsimile protocol compliant communication device.
A system for communicating an email to an email destination from a facsimile protocol compliant communication device, comprising:
- a network operating center;
- and
- a plurality of geographically distributed points of presence having,
- a facsimile server configured to receive, from the facsimile protocol compliant communication device, a facsimile in a facsimile image format, the facsimile including an email address corresponding to the email destination;
- a character recognizer in communication with the facsimile server and configured to extract the email address from the facsimile;
- a first format converter configured to receive the facsimile and convert the facsimile to an email having a format suitable for transport over an email system;
- and
- an email server configured to receive the email and extracted email address and transmit the email to the email destination.
A system for communicating a facsimile to a facsimile destination from a facsimile protocol compliant communication device, comprising:
- a facsimile server configured to receive, from the facsimile protocol compliant communication device, a facsimile in a facsimile image format, the facsimile including a representation of a facsimile number that references the facsimile destination;
- a character recognizer in communication with the facsimile server and configured to extract the facsimile number from the facsimile;
- a first format converter configured to receive the facsimile and convert the facsimile image format to an email format suitable for transport over an email system;
- an email server configured to receive the email and extracted facsimile number;
- a second format converter in communication with the email server and configured to receive the email and convert it to a facsimile image having a facsimile image format.
A system for communicating a facsimile to a facsimile destination from an email protocol compliant communication device, comprising:
- a network operating center having a web server to which a user can log on to over the Internet to compose an email, the web server configured to capture a representation of a facsimile number contained within the email that references the facsimile destination;
- and
- a plurality of geographically distributed points of presence in communication with the network operating center, each point of presence having,
- an email server configured to receive the email in an email format;
- a first format converter in communication with the email server and configured to convert the email to a facsimile having a facsimile image format;
- an advertisement server having a return facsimile page composer and configured to generate a return facsimile page incorporating an advertisement;
- a second format converter configured to receive and convert the facsimile and return facsimile page to a facsimile encoded bitmap image;
- and
- a facsimile server configured to receive the facsimile encoded bitmap image and transmit it to the facsimile destination.
A method of communicating a facsimile to a facsimile destination from an email input, comprising the steps of:
- logging onto a web server of a network operating center;
- composing an email including a representation of a facsimile number that references the facsimile destination;
- capturing the facsimile number;
- converting the email to a facsimile;
- generating a return facsimile page;
- incorporating an advertisement in the return facsimile page;
- and
- sending the facsimile and return facsimile page to the facsimile destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.