Initiating distribution of server based content via web-enabled device
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsBrandon Vaughn Taylor, Malcolm Haar, Tia Gao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Content that is stored on a remote server is distributed via a communications network. The distribution of the content, such as a document or pictures, is initiated via a properly enabled device, such as a web-enabled phone, handheld computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), or personal computer. In this manner, a website can be used as a repository for documents, and the sender is not required to have physical possession of the document to be sent or have a locally stored electronic copy of the document to be sent.
Claims19
A method for distributing content over a communications network, the method comprising:
- storing content at a storage associated with a fax server;
- logging on to the fax server by a web-enabled device operated by a user;
- authenticating the web-enabled device;
- generating a list of accessible content available at the fax server, the list including only content that is accessible to the web-enabled device and that was stored at the storage by the user or by an associate of the user from the content available at the fax server;
- providing the list to the web-enabled device;
- selecting a particular accessible content from the list;
- transmitting the selection to the fax server;
- retrieving the selected content from the storage associated with the fax server;
- sending destination information to the fax server by the web-enabled device as to one or more designated devices, not including the web-enabled device, which are selected by the web-enabled device to receive the selected content;
- forwarding the selected content and destination information to a fax service provider;
- faxing from the fax service provider the selected accessible content to the one or more designated devices.
A method for initiating the electronic distribution of content over a communications network, the method comprising:
- transmitting login information to a fax server from a device;
- authenticating the login information at the fax sewer, thereby authenticating the device;
- generating a list of accessible content at the fax server associated with the authenticated device, the content having been provided by a party associated with the authenticated device and stored at a storage associated with the fax server by the party associated with the authenticated device or by an associate of the party associated with the authenticated device;
- providing the list to the authenticated device;
- receiving, at the authenticated device, a selection of accessible content from the list;
- transmitting the selection to the fax server;
- retrieving the selected accessible content from the storage associated with the fax server;
- sending address/location information associated with a designated device to the fax server from the authenticated device, the designated device being different from the authenticated device;
- forwarding the selected content and destination designated device address/location information to a fax service provider;
- and
- faxing the selected accessible content from the fax service provider to the designated device using the address/location information.
A system for faxing content to a designated device, the system comprising:
- a web-enabled device that is different from the designated device and that can receive and provide a listing of content;
- a fax server with an associated storage device, the associated storage device maintaining content that had been previously provided by a party associated with the web-enabled device to the associated storage device, the fax server generating the listing of content, the listing including only content that is accessible to the web-enabled device and that had been previously stored at the associated storage device by the party or by an associate of the party, providing the listing to the web-enabled device, receiving a selection of content from the web-enabled device, retrieving the selected content, and forwarding the selected content to a fax service provider for faxing the selected content to the designated device selected by the web-enabled device;
- and
- an authentication system for authenticating the web-enabled device;
- wherein the listing provided to the web-enabled device only includes content that is accessible to the web-enabled device based on its authentication.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.