U.S. patent application number 12/207921 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-22 for facsimile to e-mail communication system with local interface.
Invention is credited to Mark C. Bloomfield.
Application Number | 20090021796 12/207921 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31950857 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090021796 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bloomfield; Mark C. |
January 22, 2009 |
FACSIMILE TO E-MAIL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH LOCAL INTERFACE
Abstract
A fax to E-mail system and related method are shown, whereby a
hardcopy document is sent via a fax device to its recipient via
electronic mail through a data network (such as the Internet), and
is delivered in such a manner that it can be retrieved by the
recipient at an E-mail device, in the ordinary course of retrieving
the E-mail, and displayed on the screen of the E-mail device. The
invention provides for and accomplishes the delivery of a document,
which begins as a hardcopy, as an electronic file retrieved through
E-mail recipient's terminal and displayed on the computer screen of
the E-mail recipient's terminal. The system and method also
provides for an interface device which connects to a conventional
fax device for communicating E-mail addresses and routing hardcopy
documents to the E-mail network. The invention provides a means for
embedding the functions of the interface device into conventional
fax devices. The system can also be used in cooperation with
Internet Web service for reporting, accounting, information
services, and user interaction
Inventors: |
Bloomfield; Mark C.;
(Marietta, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEATHERLY KERVEN & SEIGEL LLC
115 PERIMETER CENTER PLACE, SUITE 1082
ATLANTA
GA
30346-1245
US
|
Family ID: |
31950857 |
Appl. No.: |
12/207921 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10795655 |
Mar 8, 2004 |
7446906 |
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12207921 |
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09717193 |
Nov 21, 2000 |
6707580 |
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10795655 |
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09235566 |
Jan 22, 1999 |
6693729 |
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09717193 |
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PCT/IB97/01455 |
Oct 7, 1997 |
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09235566 |
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08839655 |
Apr 15, 1997 |
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PCT/IB97/01455 |
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08915196 |
Aug 20, 1997 |
6025931 |
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08839655 |
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60028405 |
Oct 15, 1996 |
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60048064 |
May 30, 1997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
358/402 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00212 20130101;
H04N 1/00209 20130101; H04N 1/32406 20130101; H04L 51/00 20130101;
H04N 2201/0086 20130101; H04N 1/00312 20130101; H04M 7/006
20130101; H04N 1/00204 20130101; H04N 1/33392 20130101; H04N
2201/0068 20130101; H04L 51/066 20130101; H04N 2201/0093
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/402 |
International
Class: |
H04N 1/00 20060101
H04N001/00 |
Claims
1. A method of communicating information by a facsimile/e-mail
server system, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving an
electronic mail address from an interface device; b) receiving
facsimile information from a scanning portion of a facsimile
device; c) converting the received facsimile information into a
computer readable image file; d) composing an e-mail message with
the computer readable image file as an attachment; and e)
transmitting the composed e-mail message to an electronic mail
server associated with the received electronic mail address.
2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of
introducing a hardcopy document into the scanning portion of the
facsimile device.
3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of
entering the e-mail address using the interface device.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the composing step comprises
adding a set of attachment viewing instructions in the composed
e-mail message.
5. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that
upon execution cause one or more computing platforms to perform the
method of claim 4.
6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of
providing a confirmation to a user of receipt of the e-mail address
and receipt of the facsimile information.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing the confirmation
comprises the step of updating a Web site with confirmation
information.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein providing the confirmation
comprises the step of forwarding an e-mail message to the user.
9. One or more computer readable media storing instructions that
upon execution cause one or more computing platforms to perform the
method of claim 1.
10. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of
receiving a report request from a user, generating a report based
upon the received report request and outputting the generated
report.
11. A facsimile/e-mail server system, the system comprising: a) a
communication interface capable of receiving an electronic mail
address from a facsimile interface device and of receiving
facsimile information from a scanning portion of a facsimile
device; b) a system processor comprising one or more processing
elements, wherein the system processor is in communication with the
communication interface and is programmed or adapted to: i) receive
an electronic mail address via the communication interface; ii)
receiving facsimile via the communication interface; iii)
converting the received facsimile information into a computer
readable image file; iv) composing an e-mail message with the
computer readable image file as an attachment; and v) transmitting
the composed e-mail message to an electronic mail server associated
with the received electronic mail address.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication interface
comprises connections to one or more communication networks.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more communication
networks comprise a switched telephone network, a bus network, or a
packet switched network.
14. The system of claim 11, and further comprising the interface
device, wherein the interface device communicates with the system
processor via the communication interface.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the interface device comprises
an alpha-numeric keypad.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of
communications associated with the communication of facsimile
messages and associated with the uniting of traditionally distinct
message delivery systems such as facsimile delivery and electronic
mail delivery.
[0002] The popularity of the quick and easy facsimile delivery of
messages and the popularity of low cost delivery of messages via
electronic mail (also referred to as "E-mail") messaging systems
have for quite some time enticed attempts to mingle the two
technologies, and efforts have become even more fervent in the wake
of the recent explosive increase in use of the global computer data
network known as the "Internet". An early attempt to mingle
facsimile and Email message delivery technologies is represented by
the Facsimile Transmission System of U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,170
(Herbst). Herbst appears to show a system which uses an E-mail
system to route a facsimile file between controllers associated
with the E-mail network in order to accomplish, in the end result,
a facsimile input and a facsimile output. U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,798
(Cohen, et al.) discloses a system whose stated goal is to provide
a single, "unified" electronic mailbox for storing either messages
or notification of the existence of messages of different types.
Cohen, et al. does mention the integration of facsimile mail
messages, but does not appear to clearly discuss how the system
would handle such fax messages. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,156 (Ishii)
discloses a system where a data communication center and a
facsimile mail center are linked in a mariner to accomplish the
delivery of E-mail messages by way of facsimile, but not visa
versa. At the same time, the facsimile industry has seen a growth
in the use of interactive communication with remote store and
forward facilities ("SAFF") for storage in a "fax mailbox" in
digital image form and managed delivery of facsimile messages, as
exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,203 (Gordon, et al.); and
further, the art includes the use of locally appended devices to
the sending fax device to intercept commands and route facsimile
messages, in facsimile form, to a remote SAFF for subsequent
delivery to a destination facsimile device, as exemplified by U.S.
Pat. No. 5,555,100 Bloomfield, et al. Each of the above-mentioned
references appears dedicated to the ultimate delivery of the
message to a destination fax machine or fax capable device such as
an equipped personal computer ("PC").
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Briefly described, the present invention comprises a fax to
E-mail system and related method whereby a facsimile transmission
is sent to its recipient via electronic mail (such as through the
"Internet") rather than via another facsimile machine, and is
delivered in such a manner that it can be retrieved by the
recipient at his/her E-mail device, in the ordinary course of
retrieving the E-mail, and viewed on the screen of the E-mail
device. The invention provides for and accomplishes the delivery of
a document, which begins as a hardcopy, as an electronic file
retrieved through an E-mail recipient's terminal and read at the
computer screen of the E-mail recipient's terminal.
[0004] The system of the present invention includes, in its most
preferred apparatus and method embodiments, among other elements, a
"local interface" and a remotely located Facsimile/E-mail server
system (FEM-GATEWAY) which cooperate to provide a Facsimile/E-mail
service whereby hardcopy information, including textual and/or
graphical portions, is communicated between a facsimile device and
an E-mail device, while still allowing conventional operation of
the facsimile device. More specifically, the present invention
comprises apparatus and methods for the input of an E-mail address
locally to a facsimile machine, for directing the transmission of
the image to a remotely located FEM-GATEWAY, for receiving and
converting data representative of an image scanned by the facsimile
device (referred to herein as facsimile information) into a
computer-readable data file formatted in an image data file format,
for creating an addressed E-mail message to which the
computer-readable data file is attached, and for delivering the
E-mail and attachment to a desired recipient over a data network
such as a global computer network, such as the "Internet".
[0005] In its preferred embodiments, the interface device of the
present invention uniquely receives an alphanumeric E-mail address,
displaying the address for verification by the user, is specially
configured to command the FEM-GATEWAY to transmit a fax document
via E-mail, and conveys an E-mail address and fax message (through
the attached fax device) to the FEM-GATEWAY. The interface device
allows any pre-existing fax machine to function as the sending
machine of the invented system, with no modification to the fax
machine itself. The present invention's handling of the fax message
by converting the message to a computer-readable image file and
attaching it to a system generated E-mail message, and the system's
cooperative interaction between the interface device and the
FEM-GATEWAY uniquely allow the present invention to accomplish its
intended goal of delivering fax messages via the E-mail system. In
at least one alternate embodiment, the functions of the interface
device are embedded into a conventional fax device.
[0006] The present invention bridges two networks, interacting
first in the telephone network (PTN) to transmit as telephony
signals a facsimile message to the FEM-GATEWAY and then interacting
in the E-mail network (through the "Internet" or other data
networks) to deliver an E-mail message to its intended E-mail
address. A sender wishing to send a facsimile message selectively
activates the interface device locally associated with the sending
fax machine which results in the fax being sent differently than a
normal fax transmission. In accordance with the preferred
embodiments, the interface device initiates a connection through
the PTN to a server at a remote FEM-GATEWAY, and the interface
device interacts with that server to generate and deliver to the
intended recipient's E-mail address an E-mail message to which is
attached the facsimile document formatted as a computer-readable
image file compatible with the recipient's E-mail terminal.
[0007] Numerous features, objects and advantages of the present
invention in addition to those mentioned or implied above, will
become apparent upon reading and understanding this specification,
read in conjunction with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile-to-electronic mail
communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a Fax-Server of the system
depicted in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the process and data
architecture of E-mail server depicted in FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an E-mail message in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 5 is an example of a recipient viewed message portion
of an E-mail message generated and forwarded in accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a fax interface device of the
system depicted in FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a facsimile-to-electronic mail
communication system according to an alternative embodiment of the
present invention.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting an overview of a preferred
method of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 9A is a flow chart of the front end process depicting
the facsimile-to-electronic mail communication system waiting for
user input.
[0017] FIG. 9B is a flow chart of the front end process depicting
the facsimile-to-electronic mail communication system interfacing
with the fax server.
[0018] FIG. 9C is a flow chart of the front end process depicting
the facsimile-to-electronic mail communication system receiving a
message from the FEM-GATEWAY.
[0019] FIG. 10 is a chart displaying a column of alphanumeric and
other characters with suffixes commonly encountered in E-mail
addresses used by the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram of a fax interface device
user keypad.
[0021] FIG. 11A is a flowchart of the COMCON process in accordance
with the preferred method of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 11B is a flowchart of the COMCON process in accordance
with the preferred method of the present invention specifically
illustrating the check sum matching process.
[0023] FIG. 11C is a flowchart of the COMCON process in accordance
with the preferred method of the present invention specifically
illustrating the end of signal determination process.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a SENDMAIL process in accordance
with the preferred method of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of a
facsimile-to-electronic mail communication system according to an
alternate embodiment of the present invention, referred to herein
as an in-series embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of a fax interface
device of the system depicted in the alternate embodiment of FIG.
13.
[0027] FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of a
facsimile-to-electronic mail communication system according to an
alternate embodiment of the present invention, including a combined
unit fax/fax-to-e-mail sending device.
[0028] FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of a
facsimile-to-electronic mail communication system according to the
embodiments of FIGS. 1-14 and depicting an exemplary, alternate
communication link.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Refer now in greater detail to the drawings in which like
numerals represent like components throughout the several views and
in which lower letter reference numeral suffixes differentiate
similar components referred to collectively without such suffixes.
FIG. 1 displays a Facsimile-to-Electronic mail communication system
100 (also referred to herein as a "Fax/E-mail communication system
100") comprising a facsimile interface device 102 (also referred to
herein as "fax interface device 102"), having a keypad 342, and a
Facsimile-to-E-mail server 104 (also referred to herein as a
"FEM-GATEWAY 104"). The fax interface device 102 is associated with
a fax device 106, and both devices 102, 106 connect to the
FEM-GATEWAY 104 through a common communication line 107 (also
sometimes referred to herein as "fax phone line 107" or as "fax
line 107") and the telephone network (PTN) 108. In accordance with
the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the common
communication line 107 is a central office ("CO") telephone line
having dial tone generated thereon and having tip and ring
capabilities all generated and managed by a local exchange carrier
central office of the telephone network 108. Note that "PTN" is a
common designation considered to be generally understood by those
skilled in the telecommunications industry as including any number
of local exchange carrier central offices, access tandems, long
distance toll offices, and other telecommunication switching
systems.
[0030] In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the fax interface device 102 is connected by an accessory line 109
(which, in the preferred embodiment is a standard telephone cable)
to the standard "telephone out" RJ-11 jack 113 (also, sometimes
referred to as the "accessory jack" 113) of a standard fax device
106 (for example, conventional stand alone fax machine or
multifunction machine with fax capabilities). Alternatively, the
accessory line 109' by-passes the accessory jack 113 and connects
at, for example, a line splitter 117, directly to the common
communication line 107. As would be understood by one skilled in
the art, this places the fax interface device 102 "on line" with
the fax device 106 such that both the fax interface device 102 and
fax device 106 are serviced in what might be termed a "parallel
relationship" by the same communication line 107 to the public
network 108.
[0031] The FEM-GATEWAY 104 comprises a Fax-Server 110, a Web Server
111, an E-mail-server 112, and a data network 114. The Fax-Server
110 connects to the E-mail-server 112, and a data network 114. The
Fax-Server 110 connects to the data network 114 which includes, in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
use of a TCP/IP protocol running on Ethernet hardware and includes,
but is not limited to routers, hubs, cabling, and other hardware
and software necessary for proper connection to the E-mail network
and to the E-mail server). It should be understood that the scope
of the present invention includes other data networks 114,
including local and wide area data networks which utilize other
network protocols and network hardware. The E-mail-server 112
connects to an E-mail network 116 (i.e., a network such as the
Internet, a satellite network, a cable network, a telephony
network, a wireless network, or other data network) which enables
the communication of electronic mail (referred to herein as
"E-mail") to an E-mail device 118. An E-mail interface device 120
(including, for example and not limitation, hardware and software
systems known as E-mail servers) (hereinafter also referred to as
E-mail server 120) connects the E-mail device 118 to the E-mail
network 116 and, hence, to the gateway E-mail-server 112 through
the E-mail network 116. The Web Server 111 connects to Fax-Server
110, gateway E-Mail-server 112, and data network 114, and hence to
the E-mail network 116. It should be understood that the connecting
lines shown in FIG. 1 represent many types of communication links,
including standard telephone lines, data communication networks,
wireless communication networks, cable communication networks, or
other networks. As will be understood by those skilled in the art,
a user of the E-mail network 116 is provided with an "e-mail
address" which corresponds to an electronic "mailbox" "associated
with" the user and residing on the E-mail server 120 or elsewhere
along the E-mail network.
[0032] While only one fax device 106 and only one fax interface
device 102 are shown in FIG. 1, the fax device 106 and the fax
interface device 102 are, respectively, representative of a
plurality of fax devices 106 and a plurality of fax interface
devices 102 wherein each fax device 106 of the plurality of fax
devices 106 is associated with a single fax interface device 102 of
the plurality of fax interface devices 102. It should be understood
that the plurality of fax devices 106 includes any fax-capable
device, including for example and not limitation, conventional
facsimile machines, multi-function machines which can operate as
fax machines, or image scanners which can operate as fax sending
devices.
[0033] It should be noted that while only one E-mail device 118 and
only one E-mail server 120 are shown in FIG. 1, the E-mail device
118 and E-mail server 120 are, respectively, representative of a
plurality of E-mail devices 118 and a plurality of E-mail servers
120 wherein each E-mail device 118 of the plurality of E-mail
devices 118 is associated with a single E-mail server 120 of the
plurality of E-mail servers 120. In accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the E-mail devices 118
comprise personal computers which execute software programs
(including, for example and not limitation, software programs known
in the industry as "browsers" and "E-mail readers"--sometimes
collectively referred to herein as "E-mail browsers") that enable
an E-mail recipient to receive E-mail delivered to the recipient
via the E-mail network 116, to display E-mail messages and image
data files, and optionally, to print E-mail messages and image data
files on a connected printer. It should be understood that E-mail
devices 118 include all sorts of stationary and portable, local and
network, computer-related devices executing software programs that
provide E-mail communication and display capabilities. It should
also be understood that E-mail servers 120 include, for example and
not limitation, hardware, software, communication programs, analog
communication interfaces, digital communication interfaces, optical
communication interfaces, wired and wireless communication
interfaces, cable communication interfaces, various modems, and
other E-mail communication enabling hardware adapters and software
programs located either on the user's premises or located in the
network or both. Furthermore, it should be understood that the
scope of the present invention includes E-mail servers 120 which
consist of units separate from their associated E-mail devices 118
and E-mail servers 120 which are incorporated into their associated
E-mail devices 118.
[0034] FIG. 2 displays, in a block diagram representation, the
Fax-Server 110 according to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The Fax-Server 110 comprises a plurality of fax/data
communication interfaces 130 which connect to the PN 108 through a
PN communication link and to a bus 134 for interchange of signals
with other components of the Fax-Server 110. Preferably, the PN
communication link 132 is a standard T-1 digital communication link
providing multiplexed, encoded carrier service. Alternately, the PN
communication link 132 includes a linking or network system (see,
for example, that communication link 132'' depicted in and
discussed in connection with FIG. 16, below). The fax/data
communication interfaces 130 provide a plurality of fax and data
communication channels for communication of data between the
Fax-Server 110 and fax interface devices 102. Each fax/data
communication interface 130 is capable of performing a variety of
functions on each fax communication channel including, for example:
answering a phone line; hanging-up a phone line; dialing a phone
number; sending fax data; receiving fax data; sending data signals;
receiving data signals; generating DTMF (dual tone multi-frequency)
tones; detecting DTMF tones; receiving ANI (automatic number
identification--the number from which a caller initiates a call)
and DNIS (dialed number identification service--the number dialed
by the caller) information via, preferably, for example, Feature
Group D; playing voice messages; and, converting voice signals
between analog and digital formats. An example of a fax/data
communication interface 130, acceptable in accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a model VFX40ESC
voice/fax/modem communication interface available from Dialogic of
Parsippany, N.J. It should be understood that the connecting lines
shown in FIG. 2 represent many types of communication links,
including direct links defined by direct contact between components
and indirect links defined by various cables, wires, etc.
[0035] Other components of the Fax-Server 110 shown in FIG. 2
include: a central processing unit (CPU) 136 with random access
memory (RAM); a mass storage 140 which provides program and data
storage (including storage of fax image data and information
received from a fax device 106 connected to and communicating with
the Fax-Server 110; a video display 146, keyboard 150, and power
supply 152--all of the foregoing components configured and
inter-operating in a manner that will be clearly understood by one
skilled in the art.
[0036] The Fax-Server 110, as seen in FIG. 2, also includes a data
network interface 154 by which the Fax-Server 110 exchanges data
with the data network 114, via cable 156, to enable communication
of data between the Fax-Server 110 and the E-mail-Server 112. The
data network interface 154 performs the signal conditioning and
format conversions which are necessary to communicate data through
the data network 114. A data network interface 154, acceptable in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
is a model SMC9332DST available from Standard Microsystems
Corporation of Hauppauge, N.Y., which is compatible with the
100Base T Ethernet standard and the TCP/IP protocol. It should be
understood that the scope of the present invention includes other
data network interfaces 154 including, for example and without
limitation, wired and wireless data network interfaces, analog data
network interfaces, digital data network interfaces, optical data
network interfaces, and data network interfaces compatible with
other hardware and software standards and protocols.
[0037] The Fax-Server 110 monitors its fax/data communication
channels for a call from a fax interface device 102. Upon receiving
such a call on its fax/data communication channel, the Fax-Server
110 services the call by, among other tasks: verifying (against a
stored list of valid identification codes of fax interface devices
102) that the call is to be processed; receiving from the fax
interface device 102, an E-mail address associated with a desired
recipient of a document; optionally receiving information
identifying the sender; receiving fax image data representative of
the document to be communicated to the desired recipient;
optionally preparing and forwarding a confirmation (i.e., a fax
document comprising a single page having text which indicates that
the recipient's E-mail address and the fax image data representing
the document were received by the Fax-Server 110) to the fax device
106; and, preparing and forwarding an E-mail message 270 (see FIG.
4), having an E-mail message portion 272 and an attached image data
file 274 including data representative of the document, to the
E-mail-Server 112. The Fax-Server 110 processes the fax image data
received from a fax device 106, along with information received
from the fax interface device 102, and converts the fax image data
to image data (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "formatted
image data") formatted in any one of several industry-standard
formats for images or bit-mapped graphic images, including, for
example and not limitation, formats such as "GIF" "PCX", "DCX"
"TIFF", and "BMP", "JPEG", "PNG", "AWD".
[0038] In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the Fax-Server 110 is programmed to convert fax image
data received from all of the plurality of fax devices 106 which
deliver to the Fax-Server into the same, pre-selected
industry-standard format, as selected by the administrator of the
FEM-GATEWAY 104. It is intended, as part of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, that the selected format into
which the Fax-Server 110 is preferably programmed to convert fax
image data is a format which will be automatically compatible with
major E-mail readers and browsers available on the market at a
given period of time. Thus, at the time of the writing of this
disclosure, the preferred format is the "TIFF format". In
accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention,
the selected format into which the fax image data is to be
converted is periodically changed (and the Fax-Server 110 processes
appropriately modified) by the administrator to be compatible with
the automatic de-coding and re-assembling software utilized by, for
example, a majority (or selected plurality) of browsers and E-mail
readers on the "then current" market for E-mail devices 118.
[0039] Thus, in accordance with the preferred methods of the
present invention, the Fax-Server 104, upon receiving a fax message
delivered from a fax device 106, automatically converts the
received fax image data to a TIFF formatted file, naming the TIFF
file with the appropriate ".TIF" file extension.
[0040] FIG. 3. displays, in a block diagram representation, the
E-mail Server 112 according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention. The E-mail Server comprises an E-mail network
interface 200 which connects to the E-mail network 116 through a
communication link 202 and to a bus 204 for interexchange of
signals with other components of the E-mail Server 112. Preferably,
the communication link 202 is a standard Ethernet communication
link providing high-speed TCP/IP communication carrier services.
The E-mail network interface 200 is capable of multiplexed, encoded
communication exchanges to the E-mail network. The E-mail Server
112 is considered readily understood by those skilled in the art
and performs, as is critical to the present invention, functions of
receiving the addressed E-mail with attachment (the E-mail message
270) and routing the E-mail message to the appropriate network
address along the E-mail network 116, using, for example, TCP/IP
and appropriate domain addressing and domain name services. FIG. 3
further schematically depicts other basic components of a standard
E-mail Server including a data network interface 224 through which
the E-mail Server interacts with the data network 114, a central
bus 204, CPU with RAM memory 206, mass storage 210, a video display
216, keyboard 220, and power supply 222--all of the foregoing
components being configured and inter-operating in a manner that
will be clearly understood by one skilled in the art. Though deemed
unnecessary in light of the relevant skill in the art, the
following are given by way of example as acceptable components of
the E-mail Server 112: E-mail network interface 200 as a model
1400FXSA modem available from Practical Peripherals, Inc. of
Thousand Oaks, Calif.; data network interface 224 as a model
SMC9332DST available from Standard Microsystems Corporation of
Hauppauge, N.Y. which is compatible with the 100BaseT Ethernet
Standard and the TCP/IP protocol; and "Microsoft Exchange Mail" or
"UNIX SENDMAIL" operating on the CPU 206. In alternate embodiments
of the present invention, all or some of the E-mail functions of
the gateway E-mail Server 112 are incorporated as part of and
performed by the Fax-Server 110. Furthermore, in alternate
embodiments, the data network 114 is simply the bus of a single PC
which hosts the appropriate hardware and software of both the
Fax-Server 110 and the E-mail Server 112, and the CPU/RAM, storage,
video, keyboard and power supply are common, all as would be
understood to one skilled in the art. Further explanation of the
E-mail Server 112 is deemed not necessary as the appropriate
hardware, software and operation thereof is considered well known
to those skilled in the art.
[0041] FIG. 4 displays a schematic representation of an E-mail
message 270 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
present invention. The E-mail message 270 comprises a message
portion 272, described below, and attached image data file 274. The
attached image data file 274 includes image data representative of
the document being communicated, via E-mail, from the sender's fax
machine 106 to the recipient's E-mail device 118 by the FAX/Email
communication system 100. The image data stored in the attached
image data file 274 is, preferably, the previously mentioned
formatted image data, and, as previously mentioned, preferably in a
selected format of wide compatibility with then current browsers
and E-mail readers.
[0042] The message portion 272, of the E-mail message 270 is
generated by the Fax-Server 110 and forwarded to the gateway E-mail
Server 112 for delivery to the E-mail network 116. The message
portion 272 comprises a plurality of information which corresponds
to that same information displayed in the message portion 272'
depicted in FIG. 5. The message portion 272' is depicted in FIG. 5
in an exemplary manner as it would appear on the user's screen at
the E-mail device 118, and shall be referred to sometimes herein as
the recipient viewed message portion 272', as distinguished from
the Fax-Server 110 generated message portion 272. The exemplary
recipient viewed message portion 272', comprises a header portion
276, a body portion 280, and an attachment portion, 284. The header
portion 276 of the recipient viewed message portion 272' includes a
plurality of descriptive text labels and associated fields A "TO"
field 282, adjacent to a "To" descriptive text label 283, indicates
the E-mail address of the intended recipient of the E-mail message
270 as input by the sender using the keypad 342 of the fax
interface device 102. The recipient viewed message portion 272'
includes a "FROM" field 286, adjacent a "From:" descriptive text
label 288, which indicates generically, the sender's identity as
known to the Fax/E-mail communication system 100. (For example, the
name of the entity where the sender's fax device 106 and fax
interface device 102 are located). A preferred alternative
embodiment which is optional to the sender as input by the sender
using the keypad 342 of the fax interface device 102 is to include
beside the sender's generic identity in text field 286, the name of
the individual sender as known to the Fax/E-mail communication
system 100. A "REPLY TO" field 290, adjacent a "Reply To:"
descriptive text label 292 provides an E-mail address of the
FEM-GATEWAY 104 and a transaction code associated with the sender's
fax interface device 102 which code is generated by the FEM-GATEWAY
system for job tracking and problem reporting. The recipient viewed
message portion 272' also includes a "SUBJECT" field 294, adjacent
a "Subject:" descriptive text label 296, which contains a notice to
the recipient that the E-mail message 270 includes an incoming fax
as an attached image file.
[0043] The body portion 280 of the exemplary recipient viewed
message portion 272', as seen in FIG. 5, includes text 300 which
provides advertising and instructs the recipient of the E-mail
message 270 on how to view the attached image data file 274 (i.e.
document). The text 300 also instructs the recipient on how to
access additional information about the services provided through
the communication system 100, including, if required, how to
receive a compatible viewer software program capable of displaying
the attached image data file 274. The body portion 280 includes, in
this displayed embodiment, a link 297 to a location along the
E-mail network 116, such as an HTML link 297 which references and
enables access to an Internet web page where information and access
to viewer software is available to the recipient. The use of an
"HTLM link" as a reference to a protocol used to interface to
Internet web pages is considered to be well-known to those skilled
in the art. The use of a "web page" as a reference to a
communications medium as associated with the Internet global
computer network is considered to be well-known to those skilled in
the art.
[0044] The attachment portion 284 of the exemplary recipient viewed
message portion 272', as seen in FIG. 5, includes a "handle" 298
which references and enables access to the image data file 274
attached to the message portion 272. The handle 298 is that
assigned by the browser of the E-mail device 118 at the time that
the attachment is downloaded by and stored at the E-mail device.
The use of a "handle" as a reference to a file is considered to be
well-known to those skilled in the art. The image data file 274, as
noted, includes a representation of the document sent by the sender
for receipt by the recipient of the E-mail message 270. A
descriptive textual portion 299, adjacent to the handle portion
298, provides informative data to the recipient regarding the type,
encoding scheme, description, and other information relative to the
attachment 274.
[0045] The information and data used to populate the "fields" 282,
286, 290, of the header portion 276, as well as the text 300 and
link data 297 of the body portion 280, as well as the informative
data found in the textual portion 299 is all information and data
received by the Fax-Server 110 during steps 1034 and 1036 of the
process described below (see FIG. 11A) and/or generated at step
1074 of the process (see FIG. 11C), and is that information and
data which constitutes the message portion 272 of the E-mail
message 270 depicted in FIG. 4.
[0046] FIG. 6. displays a block diagram representation of a fax
interface device 102 in accordance with the apparatus of the
preferred embodiment of the present invention. The device performs
a variety of functions including accepting inputs at the keypad
342, displaying information at a Display 344, interfacing to the
communication line 107, and engaging in interactive communications
with the FEM-GATEWAY 104.
[0047] The fax interface device 102 comprises telephony circuitry
320 which connects to and interacts with DSP circuitry 322 and
Codec circuitry 321 to provide telephony interface support. The
Telephony Circuitry connects through a phone line surge protector
326, a phone line coupler 332 and the accessory telephone line 109
to the communication line 107, which also connects to a fax device
106. As mentioned earlier, the fax interface device 102 is
preferably connected (in "parallel relationship" with the fax
device 106) to the common communication line 107 through connection
to the accessory RJ-11 jack 113 of a standard fax machine or fax
modem, and, alternatively, through connection of accessory
telephone line 109 via splitter 117 to communication line 107.
[0048] The Codec circuitry 321 connects to the telephony circuitry
320 and to the DSP circuitry 322, performing analog to digital
conversions for tone generation and detection. An example of this
Codec is a Texas Instruments TCM29C16 available from Texas
Instruments, located in Houston Tex.
[0049] The DSP circuitry 322, according to the preferred embodiment
of the present invention, comprises a Digital Signal Processor with
integrated flash memory for program storage, RAM for temporary data
storage, a Codec interface for audio input and output, and an
expansion bus to connect other needed peripherals. An example of
this DSP is a Texas Instruments TMS320F206 available from Texas
Instruments in Houston, Tex.
[0050] The DSP circuitry 322 is connected to serial nonvolatile
memory, NVRam 323, to the Display 344 comprised, for example, of a
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) with built-in controller, and to the
keypad (FIG. 10a) 342 comprising a standard telephony-styled DTMF
keypad and custom control buttons. The NVRam 323 performs memory
functions such as storage of E-mail addresses and serial number
information regarding the interface device 102. An example of this
type of NVRAM is 24c65/sm-ND available from Microchip Technology
located in Chandler Ariz. An example of the Display is the
DMC-24227NYU available from Optrex, located in Torrence, Calif.
[0051] The telephony circuitry 320 is connected to Codec 321,
speaker 346, and to surge protection circuitry 326. The telephony
circuitry 320 performs a variety of functions including ring
detection, loop current, and on and off hook control. An example of
this circuitry is the TS117 available from CP Clare, located in
Wakefield Mass. The Speaker 346 provides line monitoring and
program control audio feedback. An example of Speaker 346 as an
amplifier is the LM380 available from National Semiconductor
located in Santa Clara, Calif. The phone line coupler 332 connects
to the Surge protection 326 and provides a telephony jack for
interfacing to accessory telephone line 109 which is connected to
fax device 106. An example of such a suitable coupler is 555979-1
from AMP Incorporated, located in Harrisburg, Pa. A power supply
341 connects through power adapter 340 to a source of a AC power
and supplies necessary power to the components of the interface
device 102.
[0052] In a configuration and manner of operation that would be
understood by those skilled in the art, the telephony circuitry
320, Codec 321 and DSP circuitry 322 cooperate and interact to
perform the functions which include, but are not limited to, those
mentioned above. By way of example, in accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention: the Codec 321
connects to and communicates with the DSP 322 through Codec signal
bus 316; signal bus 318 carries analog signals which originate from
a telephone company central office (i.e., part of the PTN 108) and
which are received by the fax interface device 102 through the
accessory telephone line 109; the Codec 321 de-modulates the analog
signals and produces digital representations of the analog signals
which are communicated, through Codec signal bus 316, for analysis
by the DSP 322; the analog signals commonly include, for example
and not limitation, dial tone signals, DTMF signals and fax tone
signals; after the digital representations of the analog signals
are analyzed and identified by the DSP (according to programming
stored within ROM memory of the DSP circuitry), the DSP determines
whether or not a response is necessary and, if so, determines the
appropriate response to the analog signal; the DSP 322, to respond,
generates appropriate digital signals which are modulated by the
Codec 321 to produce analog signals which are output along signal
bus 318 to the telephone circuitry 320 and eventually to the fax
line 107; according to the preferred embodiment, the Codec 321 can
modulate and de-modulate analog signals in the Bell 202
communication format (which is a standard AT&T frequency shift
key communication scheme) and in the V.21 communication format
(which is a standard CCITT Group 3 fax negotiation and control
procedure).
[0053] As an example of the interaction between the Codec 321 and
the DSP circuitry 322, consider a sender wishing to communicate a
document to a desired recipient via fax/E-mail, in accordance with
the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Reference may be
had here to the process charts and description related to FIGS.
9A-9C. In response to the entry of the "GO" command at the fax
interface device 102 by the sender, the fax interface device 102
and, hence, the DSP circuitry 322 (according to step 924 (FIG. 9B)
of the preferred method described below) establishes a telephonic
connection with the Fax-Server 110 by calling the Fax-Server via
telephone line 107. To do so, the DSP circuitry 322 must monitor
the signal bus 318 (which reflects the activity on accessory phone
line 109, which is the extension of fax line 107) for the presence
of an analog dial tone signal by analyzing digital representations
(produced by the Codec 321 and communicated to the DSP circuitry
322 through Codec signal bus 316) of the analog signals. Upon
receiving and identifying the dial tone signal, the DSP circuitry
322 responds in accordance with programming residing in memory
portions of the DSP circuitry to generate DTMF digits corresponding
to the telephone number of the Fax-Server 110. After receiving
digital representations of the digits of the telephone number from
the DSP 322 through Codec signal bus 316, the Codec 321 modulates
the digital data to produce the appropriate DTMF digits for output,
through signal bus 318, to the telephone circuitry 320 and,
ultimately, to telephone line 107. Note that the Codec 321 and the
DSP circuitry 322 cooperate in many other instances, using similar
hand-shaking methods, to communicate signals to and from the PTN
108 via telephone line 107 (and accessory line 109) in order to
provide the functionality necessary for the fax interface device
102 and, hence, the Fax/E-mail communication system 100, to
communicate documents to E-mail recipients.
[0054] According to an alternate embodiment of the present
invention shown in FIG. 7, a fax interface device 102 and a fax
device 106' connect to a private branch exchange (PBX) 115 before
connecting to the Public Network 108'. It will be understood that
the common communication line 107, in this alternate embodiment, is
a PBX line providing dial tone generated at the PBX 115 and
functioning, for purposes of the present invention, similarly to
the CO line 107 of FIG. 1. It should be understood that the scope
of this alternate embodiment of the present invention includes a
fax interface device 102' incorporated into a PBX 115. It should
also be understood that the alternate embodiment of FIG. 7 in a
manner substantially similar to the preferred embodiment, comprises
fax devices 106' including any fax-capable devices, including for
example and not limitation, conventional facsimile machines,
multi-function machines which can operate as fax machines, or image
scanners which can operate as fax sending devices.
[0055] In accordance with other alternate embodiments of the
present invention, the Public Telephone Network 108 and E-mail
network 116 are replaced by any of a variety of different
interconnecting networks, including any combination of public,
private, switched, non-switched, wireline, non-wireline, digital,
analog, in-band signaling, out-of-band signaling, voice, data,
local or wide area networks. In addition, although DTMF signaling
and transfer of information through DTMF and data signaling formats
are disclosed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
other alternate embodiments of the present invention include
methods and apparatus which accommodate signaling and transferring
of information through alternate signaling networks and formats,
including modem communications, integrated services digital network
(ISDN) and other out-of-band and in-band signaling methods, whereby
signals and information are communicated between a FEM-GATEWAY 104
and a fax interface device 102. According to still other alternate
embodiments of the present invention, the apparatus of the
Fax/E-mail communication system 100 comprises a FEM-GATEWAY 104
which employs only one computer that includes necessary hardware,
and executes necessary programs present on the Fax-Server 110 and
the E-mail-Server 112 of the preferred embodiment of the present
invention. In still other alternate embodiments of the present
invention, the apparatus of the Fax/E-mail communication system 100
comprises multiple computers, which include the necessary hardware
and software present on the Fax-Server 110 of the preferred
embodiment, and multiple computers which include the necessary
hardware and software present on the E-mail-Server 112 of the
preferred embodiment. It should be understood that it is within the
scope of the present invention that indicated subsystems (servers
110, 112, 111) of the FEM-GATEWAY 104 are, acceptably, either
geographically separated or geographically co-located.
[0056] Represented in FIGS. 1 and 11, is a Web Server 111, 111'.
The Web Server 111, 111' is an optional computer (or computer based
program) which provides user access to information regarding
transactions processed through the FAX/E-mail communication system
100. The Web Server communicates with the Fax-Server 110 and the
E-mail Server 112 over data network 114. As will be understood by
those skilled in the art, a Web Server provides access to users
using computers connected to a data network (such as the Internet)
for the purpose of accessing information from and interacting with
computers connected directly or indirectly to the Web Server. By
way of example, the Web Server 111, 111' permits a user of the
communications system 100 access to information on their account
such as accounting information, billing information, service
information, as well as current and historical data on
Fax-to-E-mail transactions generated from the user's fax device
102. Additionally, the Web Server permits a user to interact with
the communication system 100 to add, delete, or change user
preferences. By way of example, a user could change a passcode, or
the priority of a pending Fax-to-E-mail message.
[0057] FIG. 8 displays an overview of a preferred method of the
present invention and illustrates a plurality of steps which are
necessary to communicate a hard-copy document (also referred to
herein as a "document" and including any item which can be
communicated by a fax device 106 or equivalent thereof) to a
desired recipient using the Fax/E-mail communication system 100
disclosed herein. The individual steps of the method are performed
by various elements, and combinations of elements, of the system
100 working in concert and are detailed by the figures that follow.
After starting at step 800, the method proceeds to step 802 where
the system 100 receives, from the sender of the document, an E-mail
address which has been previously associated with, or assigned to,
the desired recipient of the document and, optionally, saves the
recipient's E-mail address for future use. According to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the recipient's
E-mail address is input, or recalled from memory storage, to the
system 100, by the sender of the document through interaction with
the telephone-style keypad 342 of the sender's fax interface device
102 connected to the PTN 108. Continuing at step 804, the system
100 receives and saves fax image data which is generated by the
sender's fax device 106 and which represents the document to be
communicated to the desired recipient via E-mail. The fax image
data is, typically, created by a rasterizing process performed at
the sender's fax device 106 by hardware, by software, or by
cooperation between hardware and software and is, typically
communicated in what is known as "G3 protocol", all of which is
well-known to those skilled in the art. Upon receiving and storing
the fax image data, the system 100, at step 806, provides an
optional confirmation (sender selectable) to the sender which
indicates that the E-mail address and fax image data have been
received by the system 100. The confirmation is, for example, in
the form of a single page which is transmitted by the FEM-GATEWAY
104 for receipt by the sender's fax device 106 as if the
confirmation were a conventional fax document received by the
sender's fax device 106. An alternative manner of providing
confirmation to the sender is to update the Web Server 111 in a
manner that allows the sender of the original facsimile (who is a
registered user of the communication system 100) to access
information at the Web Server which will indicate the status of
facsimile-to-E-mail messages which that sender has sent through the
system. Still other alternative methods of sending confirmation are
acceptable, such as, for example, providing a notice of the
successful delivery to a registered sender's E-mail address.
Advancing to step 808, the system 100 creates an E-mail message
270, addressed to the recipient at the previously received E-mail
address, which includes a message portion 272 and an attached image
data file 274 containing the previously received fax image data
stored in an industry-standard format for storing graphical data.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, encoding of the
attachment 274 is also performed at this step (as well as,
optionally, the earlier mentioned image processing). The processes
of attaching an image data file 274 to an E-mail message 270 (for
example, compliant with MIME encoding), of storing graphical data
in industry-standard formats and encoding the file are considered
to be well-known to those skilled in the art. At step 810, the
system 100 delivers the E-mail message 270 to an E-mail network
116, with its associated image data in attached, preferably
encoded, image data file 274, for delivery to the E-mail address
associated with the recipient and included in the message portion
272. Once the recipient receives the E-mail message 270, the
recipient, at step 812, views the E-mail message 270, including its
message portion 272. Viewing of the attached document (represented
by the fax image data of the attached image data file 274), through
conventional use of an appropriate computer program known as
"browser", "viewer", or "e-mail reader" is accomplished, at least,
by "clicking" on the file attachment located in the handle portion
298 located in the attachment portion 284 of the message portion
272. (See discussion above regarding FIG. 5). After viewing of the
E-mail message 270 by the recipient, the method ends at step 814.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, because the attachment 274 has been converted to a
widely popular image format (e.g., TIFF) which is, desirably,
compatible with a majority of browsers and E-mail readers in the
then current market, and because the image data file is
appropriately encoded, then, in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, viewing is accomplished by
simply "clicking" on the file attachment handle portion 298 found
in the attachment portion 284 of the message portion 272 of the
E-mail message 270). When the E-mail device 118 is operating a
browser or E-mail reader which is not immediately compatible with
the image data format/encoding into which the attachment has been
converted/encoded, it is understood that additional user
interaction will be necessary to appropriately decode the
attachment prior to viewing.
[0058] In order to enable Fax-to-E-mail service by performing some
of the various steps of the plurality of steps described above with
respect to FIG. 8, the fax interface device 102 of the present
invention executes a front end process 830 and the Fax-Server 110
executes a process 1020, which shall be referred to herein as the
COMCON process 1020. FIGS. 9 and 11, respectively, display the
front-end process 830 and the COMCON process 1020 in accordance
with the preferred method of the present invention.
[0059] Referring now to FIG. 9A, the front-end process 830 starts
at step 832 and advances to step 834 where the fax interface device
102 shows an idle-time message on its display 344 while the fax
interface device 102 waits for a sender wishing to communicate a
document to a recipient via E-mail. (The idle-time message might
include, for example, information identifying the manufacturer of
the fax interface device 102, information instructing a user on how
to send a document to a recipient via E-mail, information
advertising other available services, etc.) At step 836, the fax
interface device 102 monitors the keypad 342 for input activity to
detect input by a user and potential sender of a Fax-to-E-mail
document. Preferably, the Fax-to-E-mail command includes DTMF
digits entered at the fax device's keypad 342; for example, entry
of the keystrokes "A", or "QDial". (Refer, please, to FIG. 10A for
further keypad details). Next, at step 838, the fax interface
device 102 determines whether or not it has received input at the
keypad 342. If input has not been received by the fax interface
device 102, the front-end process 830 loops back to step 834 and
again displays an idle-time message. If input has been received by
the fax interface device 102, the fax interface device 102, at step
840, prompts the sender for an E-mail address associated with the
desired recipient of a document by displaying prompt text, on
display 344, which instructs the sender to enter an E-mail address
for the recipient or to recall a previously stored E-mail address
from fax interface device 102 memory. After prompting the sender to
enter an E-mail address, the fax interface device 102 (at step 842)
receives the characters of the E-mail address input by the sender,
displays the characters, as they are received, on display 344, and
retains the E-mail address for future use (stored in memory).
[0060] According to the preferred method of the present invention
and as previously noted, an E-mail address associated with a
desired recipient is input by the sender (at step 842), using the
telephone-style keypad 342 of the sender's fax interface device
102, after being prompted for the recipient's E-mail address on a
first row (or line) (e.g, the bottom line 334a) of display 344.
Because the standard telephone keypad as represented by keypad 342
are restricted to 12 input keys 342a, multiple alphanumeric
characters must be associated with each one of the 12 available
keys 342a to provide all characters required to create a valid
E-mail address. This is accomplished by associating characters with
keys 342a either in alphabetical, numeric, or common trait order
such that a sender can "spell" an E-mail address using the
reduced-set keypad 342 without limitation to the required character
set. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the sender enters the recipient's E-mail address using
the fax interface device's keypad 342 (FIG. 10A) and using the
character association chart of FIG. 10 as a guide. FIG. 10 displays
an association and sequence chart showing the available characters
(Col. 1), the associated key (Col. 2), and the input sequence to
advance to the desired character (Col. 3). In addition to singular
characters being associated with a particular key 342a, groups of
characters commonly used in the creation of E-mail addresses are
also associated with particular keys to simplify the steps required
for user input, and in addition, certain other groups of characters
such as, for example, email suffixes .com, .net, .gov, .org, .edu
are stored in memory and associated with the EXT key 342g.
Frequently dialed domains, for example, aol.com. prodigy.com.
netcom.com. worldnet.com are stored in memory and associated with
the DOM key 342e. To advance through the available characters
associated with a particular key, the sender repeatedly presses the
desired key, without pause (timeout). The character in sequence
associated with the key will be displayed on a second line (e.g.,
the top line 344b) of display 344. Once a time-out occurs, the fax
interface device 102 will settle upon the selected character or
group of characters, and will display the selected character and
move to the next cursor position. This process permits multiple
characters associated with the same key to be selected simply by
pausing momentarily between key presses for greater than the
allowable timeout period. For example, to enter an "A", the sender
presses the "ABC1" key one time. To enter a "C" the sender presses
the "ABC1" key three times. To enter "AC" the sender presses the
"ABC1" key one time, pauses one second, and presses the "ABC1" key
three times. Continued pressing of a character key scrolls the
characters in a endless-loop fashion. The BACK/CLR 342b is
character destructive key and deletes the last character input (or
character group) and backspaces the cursor one position in sequence
for each time the button is pressed. Pressing the BACK/CLR 342b
button for extended time (2 seconds or more) deletes an entire
entry and returns the user to the idle state condition or can be
used in deleting characters or groups of characters stored in
memory. QDIAL button 342c is used to store E-mail addresses which
can be recalled rapidly from memory and eliminates the repetitive
input of commonly used E-mail addresses during the addressing
process. With the cursor at its first position on the display 344
of the fax interface device 102, the fax interface device begins
accepting keypad entries and each time the sender waits more than
the preset time (e.g., one second), the interface device records a
"time-out". If the sender presses a single key 342a repeatedly
before there is a time-out, then the fax interface device will
select the respective character or character group from the chart
of FIG. 10 corresponding to the number of times the key was
pressed. The fax interface device will consider the address entry
to be complete when the sender has pressed the "GO" button
342d.
[0061] Upon completion of the entry of the E-mail address, the
sender presses the "GO" button 342d on the keypad 342 to begin a
process whereby the interface device 106 interacts with the
Fax-Server 110 of the FEM-GATEWAY 104 to forward the received
E-mail address and to pre-condition the FEM-GATEWAY system for
delivery of the fax image data from the fax device 106. With
further reference to FIGS. 9A-9C, once the "GO" command is received
(see step 846), the interface device 102 goes off-hook and dials
the FEM-GATEWAY 104 (step 924). To facilitate interaction between
the Fax-Server 110 and the fax interface device 102, a process (see
COMCON process 1020 of FIG. 11) executes on the Fax-Server 110
which is complimentary to the following process executing on the
fax interface device 102 and the two processes communicate through
the fax line 107 (and accessory line 109), public network 108,
communication link 132 and a fax communication interface 130, as
described below, to deliver to the Fax-Server 110 the E-mail
address associated with the desired recipient. To that end, it can
be seen that steps 924 through 950 of FIG. 9B-9C are complimentary
to and inter-communicate with steps 1026 through 1057 of FIG.
11.
[0062] The fax interface device 102 continues its processing at
step 926 where the fax interface device monitors the communications
with the Fax-Server 110 to determine whether or not an
acknowledgment "ACK" as been received from the Fax-Server 110. If
not, the process 830 branches to step 928 where the fax interface
device 102 determines whether or not a time-out condition exists
(i.e., the fax interface device 102 has been waiting for an "ACK"
for an excessive period of time). If the fax interface device 102
has determined that a time-out condition exists, the fax interface
device 102 goes on hook, at step 930, without communicating the
recipient's E-mail address nor the fax image data to the Fax-Server
110. If the fax interface device 102 determines, at step 928, that
a time-out condition does not exist, the front-end process 830
loops back to step 926. If, at step 926, the fax interface device
102 detects an "ACK", the process 830 advances to step 932 where
the fax interface device 102 sends a Fax-to-E-mail command to the
Fax-Server 110. Then, the fax interface device 102 sends, at step
934, its unique identification code (ID) to the Fax-Server 110.
Advancing to steps 936 and 938 of the front-end process 830, the
fax interface device 102 sends the recipient E-mail address,
received previously from the sender, optionally, the sender's ID,
and a check sum to the Fax-Server 110. At step 940, the fax
interface device 102 determines whether or not an "error-free ACK"
has been received from the Fax-Server 110 on fax line 107. If so,
the front-end process 830 continues at step 948 described below. If
not, the process 830 branches to step 942 where the fax interface
device 102 determines whether or not an "error ACK" has been
received from the Fax-Server 110 on fax line 107 instead of an
"error-free ACK". If the fax interface device 102 determines that a
"error ACK" has been received (i.e., indicating that the Fax-Server
110 is requesting that the fax interface device 102 re-send the
fax-to-E-mail command, its own identification code, the recipient's
E-mail address, and an associated check sum), the front-end process
830 loops back to step 932. If the fax interface device 102
determines that an "error ACK" has not been received, then the
process 830 moves to step 944 where the fax interface device 102
determines whether or not a time-out condition has occurred. If
not, the process 830 loops back to step 940 to continue waiting for
an "ACK". If so, the fax interface device 102 goes on-hook and the
front-end process 830 returns to its "idle time".
[0063] According to the preferred method of the present invention,
and as seen in FIG. 9C, the fax interface device 102, at step 948,
receives a message from the FEM-GATEWAY 104 to display the message
"PRESS SEND ON FAX DEVICE NOW", and the message is displayed (see
step 950) at the fax interface device's display 344. Next, at step
952, the front-end process 830 determines if there is a drop or
absence of CO line current. For example, in the preferred
embodiment where the fax interface device 102 is connected by line
109 to the accessory phone RJ-11 jack on the fax device 106, then,
in accordance with standard functioning procedures, the connection
of the fax line 107 to the accessory line 109 will be "locked out"
and the accessory line 109 will "go dead"--this is the "absence of
CO line current" to be determined at step 952. If no CO line
current is detected, the process returns to "idle time".
Alternately, for example, in an embodiment where the connection
between accessory line 109 and fax line 107 is not automatically
locked-out by activation of the fax device 106 SEND command (e.g.,
connection of accessory line 109' at line splitter 117), then step
952 is, for example, replaced by the decision step of "detect fax
tones?", and, if fax tones are detected, the fax device 102 is
placed on-hook and the process 830 returns to "idle time" at step
834.
[0064] As mentioned above, a process referred to herein as the
COMCON process 1020 (see FIG. 11) executes on the Fax-Server 110;
and, in accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, a
separate COMCON process 1020 services each fax communication
channel of a fax communication interface 130 (see FIG. 2) of the
Fax-Server 110 by communicating, in a hand-shaking manner, with a
front-end process 830 (see FIGS. 9B, 9C) of a fax interface device
102 when a sender attempts to communicate a document via E-mail to
a recipient.
[0065] FIGS. 11A-11C display a COMCON process 1020 in accordance
with the preferred method of the present invention. The COMCON
process 1020 is started at step 1022. After starting, the COMCON
process 1020 advances to step 1024 where the fax communication
interface 130 and fax communication channel associated with the
COMCON process 1020 are initialized. Then, at step 1026 of the
COMCON process 1020, the Fax-Server 110 determines whether or not
an incoming telephone call has been received from the public
telephone network (PTN) 108 on the fax communication channel
serviced by the COMCON process 1020. If the Fax-Server 110
determines that no incoming call is present, the COMCON process
1020 loops back to step 1026 to continue waiting for an incoming
call. If the Fax-Server 110 determines that an incoming call is
present, the COMCON process 1020 advances to step 1028 where the
Fax-Server 110 answers the incoming telephone call from a fax
interface device 102. Next, at step 1030, the Fax-Server 110 sends
an acknowledgment "ACK" to the fax interface device 102 through the
fax communication interface 130, the public telephone network 108,
and the fax line 107 (and the accessory line 109). The "ACK"
informs the fax interface device 102 that the Fax-Server 110 has
received its telephone call and that the Fax-Server 110 is ready to
interact with the front-end process 830 of the fax interface device
102.
[0066] Once communication has been established with a calling fax
interface device 102, the COMCON process 1020 advances to step 1032
where, as seen in FIG. 11A, the Fax-Server 110 receives a
fax-to-E-mail command from the fax interface device 102. Then, at
step 1034, the Fax-Server 110 receives the identification code of
the calling fax interface device 102 followed, at step 1036, by
receipt of the E-mail address, and optionally the sender ID as
input by the sender on the fax interface device 102. Continuing at
step 1038, the Fax-Server 110 receives a check sum from the fax
interface device 102. Advancing to step 1040 (FIG. 11B) of the
COMCON process 1020, the Fax-Server 110 determines whether or not
the check sum matches (i.e., is okay) a check sum which it has
computed based upon the data received during steps 1032 through
1038. If the Fax-Server 110 determines that the check sum is not
okay (i.e., there was an error during communication with the fax
interface device 102), the COMCON process 1020 branches to step
1042 where the Fax-Server 110 determines whether or not a time-out
condition exists (i.e., determines whether or not a maximum number
of re-send requests have been exceeded). If no time-out condition
exists, the Fax-Server 110, at step 1044, sends a an "ERROR ACK"
command to the fax interface device 102 to request that the fax
interface device 102 re-send the data referred to in steps 1032
through 1038 described above. The COMCON process 1020 then loops
back to step 1032. If the Fax-Server 110 determines, at step 1042,
that a time-out condition exists, the COMCON process 1020 causes
the fax communication interface 130 to go on-hook, thereby
hanging-up the telephone call from the fax interface device 102,
before looping back to step 1026.
[0067] Referring back to step 1040, if the Fax-Server 110
determines that the check sum is okay (i.e., there was no error
during communication with the fax interface device 102), the
Fax-Server 110 determines, at step 1048, whether or not the
identification code received from the fax interface device 102 is
okay by comparing the received identification code with a list of
fax interface device identification codes which are stored in a
database of the Fax-Server 110. If the Fax-Server 110 determines
that the received identification code is not valid for any fax
interface device 102, the COMCON process 1020 branches to step 1050
where the Fax-Server 110 determines whether or not a time-out
condition exists (i.e., determines whether or not a maximum number
of re-send requests have been exceeded). If no time-out condition
exists, the Fax-Server 110, at step 1052, sends a an "ERROR ACK"
command to the fax interface device 102 to request that the fax
interface device 102 re-send the information received at steps 1032
through 1038. The COMCON process 1020 then loops back to step 1032.
If the Fax-Server 110 determines, at step 1050, that a time-out
condition exists, the COMCON process 1020 causes the fax
communication interface 130 to go on-hook, thereby hanging-up the
telephone call from the fax interface device 102, before looping
back to step 1026.
[0068] If, at step 1048, the Fax-Server 110 determines that the
identification code of the fax interface device 102 is okay, the
COMCON process 1020 advances to step 1056 where the Fax-Server 110
sends an "ERROR FREE ACK" to the fax interface device 102 to
indicate to the fax interface device 102 that it has received a
fax-to-E-mail command, a valid fax interface device identification
code, and an E-mail address associated with a desired E-mail
recipient. The Fax-Server 110 then, at step 1057, sends a command
to the fax interface device 102 to display the message "Press Send
on Fax Device Now" on the display 344, which instructs the sender
to initiate communications with the Fax-Server by pressing the
"SEND" (or "START", etc.) button on the fax device 106. The
Fax-Server 110 then, at step 1058, sends fax tones along the fax
line 107 to the fax device 106 and receives fax data from the fax
device 106 at step 1060.
[0069] Continuing at step 1062 (FIG. 11C), the Fax-Server 110, in
accordance with the COMCON process 1020, determines whether or not
it has received an end-of-fax signal from the fax device 106
connected to the fax communication channel 132 supported by the
COMCON process 1020. If no end-of-fax signal has been received, the
Fax-Server 110 continues to store the fax data, in its native
format (G3) as fax image data in a database on the Fax-Server 110,
until such time that either an error or an end of fax signal has
been received. The COMCON process 1020 then loops back to step 1060
where the Fax-Server 110 continues to receive fax data from the fax
device 106. If the Fax-Server 110 determines, at step 1062, that it
has received an end-of-fax signal, the COMCON process 1020 advances
to step 1066 where the Fax-Server 110 acknowledges receiving the
end-of-fax signal from the fax device 106. In accordance with the
preferred method of the present invention, the COMCON process 1020,
as seen in FIG. 11C, continues at step 1068 where the Fax-Server
110 COMCON process hangs up the fax communications interface 130
and thereby terminates the call with the fax device 106. The
process 1020 continues at step 1070 where the Fax-Server 110 stores
the F-mail address sent by the sender of fax interface device 106
in a database on Fax-Server 110. Then at step 1072 the Fax-Server
110 processes the stored fax images received from fax device 106 by
converting the images to the formatted image data, being, as
mentioned earlier, in a standard image data format for viewing on
an E-mail terminal screen. Copies of the converted fax image (the
formatted image data) are stored in respective databases on
Fax-Server 110. Then, at step 1074, the Fax-Server 110 generates
and stores in a database on the Fax-Server an E-mail message
portion 272 to accompany the fax image data. The process 1020
advances to step 1076 where the Fax-Server 110 retrieves the
message portion 272 and the fax image data from the respective
databases on the Fax-Server 110. Then, at step 1078, the Fax-Server
110 attaches the formatted fax image data file 274 to the E-mail
message portion 272 and, preferably, encodes the packaged E-mail
message 270 an encoding technique acceptable for the intended
E-mail network 116. For example but not limitation, the packaged
message 270 with message portion 272 and attachment portion 274 is
encoded using Internet MIME formatting, thereby creating a MIME
E-mail message 270. MIME, or Multi-purpose Internet Mail
Extensions, defines the protocol for the Interexchange of text and
multi-media E-mail via the Internet (global computer network) and
is considered well-known to those reasonably skilled in the art.
Continuing at step 1080, the Fax-Server 110 sends the E-mail
message 270 to the E-mail server 112 and to the SENDMAIL process
1120 (FIG. 12), over data network 114. After sending the E-mail
message 270 to the SENDMAIL process 1120 through interprocess
communication, the COMCON process 1020 invokes the SENDMAIL process
1120 on the E-mail server 112, and then the process 1020 ends at
step 1084.
[0070] FIG. 12 displays a SENDMAIL process 1120 which executes on
the E-mail-Server 112 in accordance with the preferred method of
the present invention. Upon being invoked by the COMCON process
1020 at step 1082 (FIG. 11), being step 1122 of FIG. 12, the
SENDMAIL process 1120 advances to step 1124 where it receives the
E-mail message 270 from the COMCON process 1020 via interprocess
communication. Continuing at step 1126, the SENDMAIL process 1120
directs the gateway E-mail-Server 112 to communicate the E-mail
message 270 to the E-mail network 116. Then, at step 1128, the
SENDMAIL process 1120 ends.
[0071] By way of example but not limitation, in the preferred
embodiment, steps 1076-1084 of the COMCON process 1020 are
performed in accordance with what is commonly known as the UNIX
METAMAIL process, and the SENDMAIL processes 1120 of FIG. 12 are
performed in accordance with what is commonly known as the UNIX
SENDMAIL process. The UNIX METAMAIL and UNIX SENDMAIL processes are
considered well-known to those skilled in the art and are
considered to not require further explanation herein.
[0072] Once sent to the E-mail network 116, the E-mail message 270
is conveyed in accordance with the handling processes of the E-mail
network (such as the Internet Global Computer Network) to, for
example, the "mailbox" associated with the recipient address 282.
The message 270 is retrieved and viewed as discussed above
regarding step 812 of FIG. 8. As previously mentioned, FIG. 5 is an
exemplary recipient viewed message portion 272' as would be viewed
at an E-mail device 118, with the fields populated with information
and data collected, generated, and communicated in accordance with
the processes described above.
[0073] In accordance with an alternate, preferred embodiment of the
present invention, as depicted in FIG. 13, the fax interface device
102'' is placed in what might be termed a "series relationship" on
communication link 107 between the fax device 106 and the public
network 108 (as opposed to the configuration of the above-described
embodiments for which I have used the term "parallel
relationship"). An exemplary fax interface device 102'' used in
accordance with this in-series embodiment of FIG. 13 is depicted in
FIG. 14 in schematic fashion. The telephony circuitry 320'' of this
fax interface device 102'' connects through a phone line surge
protector and phone line coupler to the public network 108 along
phone line 107, and connects through a fax phone line coupler to
the fax device 106 along phone line 107'. The DSP circuitry 322''
is provided with enhanced processing capability whereby the fax
interface device receives and processes signals generated by
keystroke entry made at the fax device keypad 105 (thus eliminating
the need for a separate keypad at the fax interface device) and
whereby the fax interface device 102'' acts as an intermediary
between the fax device 106 and the public network 108 to separately
process signals from each, to electively pass signals from one to
the other, and to separately interact with each of the fax device
and public network. The operation of this alternate embodiment of
FIG. 13 is in accordance with the process outline in connection
with FIG. 8 of the previous embodiments. However, in the detailed
processing, the fax interface device 102'' takes control of the
interaction between the fax device 106 and the public network 108
to eliminate the need for user monitoring of the "SEND" function.
For example, with reference to FIG. 9A, the fax interface device
102'', at step 836, monitors the fax side communication line 107'
for activity at the fax device keypad 105, which activity is, for
example, in the form of a pre-established entry which alerts the
fax interface device 102'' that the user at the fax device desires
to send a fax-to-e-mail (for example, by entry of the keystrokes
"*4"). Absent such fax-to-e-mail alerting entry, the fax interface
device 102'' would, for example, simply pass communications between
the public network 108 and the fax device 106 directly through its
telephony circuitry, for example, not interfering with the
communication. Once the fax-to-e-mail entry is received, the fax
interface device 102'' begins with the user similar steps 840 and
842 of FIG. 9A. Furthermore, preferred embodiments of the in-series
system 100'' maintain control at step 948 (FIG. 9C) such that,
rather than receiving a user prompt from the FEM-GATEWAY at step
948 (step 1057 of FIG. 11B), the FEM-GATEWAY sends and the fax
interface device 102'' receives an acknowledgment signal, in
response to which the fax interface device 102'' connects a
communication channel within its telephony circuitry between the
telephone line 107 and the fax phone line 107', and communicates
fax tones from the fax server 110 through the communication channel
to the fax device. By standard handshaking and delivery techniques,
the fax device 106 then delivers its fax data along communication
lines 107' and 107, through the fax interface device telephone
circuitry, to the fax server 110. When the fax has been completed,
the fax interface device 102 detects the end-of-fax signal and
communicates the same to the fax-server 110, disconnects
communication channel, and awaits a future fax-to-e-mail signal
from the fax device 106.
[0074] Whereas the present invention has been depicted and
described in relationship to embodiments in which the fax interface
device 102 and the fax device 106 are embodied in separate chassis
interconnected by an accessory communication line 109, alternate
embodiments of the facsimile-to-electronic mail communication
system 100 of the present invention comprise a combined unit
fax/fax-to E-mail sending device (hereinafter also identified as
the "combined unit 358") which incorporates within a single chassis
the functionality of both the fax interface device 102 and the fax
device 106, with necessary component parts. In a first embodiment
of such combined unit 102/106', the fax interface device 102 of the
embodiment of FIG. 1 hereof, is simply physically embodied within a
single chassis with the fax device 106 of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
and necessary external modifications are made to the chassis in
order to acquire access to the necessary keypads to effect
operation of the two combined devices within the combined unit. In
a preferred embodiment of the combined unit sending device,
however, the functionality of the fax interface device 102 and the
fax device 106 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 hereof are embodied
within a single chassis and components which perform duplicate
functions are eliminated to provide an efficiency of structure.
With reference to FIG. 15, this preferred embodiment of the
combined unit fax/fax-to-E-mail sending device 358 comprises a
single keypad 360 and single display 361, which replace the two
keypads and two displays of the fax interface device 102 and fax
device 106 The keypad 360 of the combined unit 358 acts as a dual
function keypad which accepts user input and interfaces with
software logic 364 to alternately perform the functions of a
standard fax device keypad or the functions of the fax interface
device keypad 342. Preferably, the dual function keypad 342
includes all of the dial and function keys necessary to effect the
functions of the fax device 106 and the fax interface device 102. A
physical button (or command key) 362 which is software-enabled
selectively switches the combined unit sending device 358 between a
fax mode (during which the device functions as a standard fax
machine delivering information from a hard copy document to a
remote recipient fax machine) and a fax-to-E-mail mode (during
which the information from a hard copy document is sent to its
recipient via electronic mail, in accordance with previously
discussed processes of the present invention). When switched to the
fax mode, the dual function keypad 360 and display 361 receive and
display keypad entries as a standard fax machine, and when the
device 358 is in the fax-to-E-mail mode, the dual function keypad
360 and the display device 361 receive and display user keypad
entries in a manner described previously in connection with the fax
interface device 102. In the drawing of FIG. 15, the number 366
schematically represents the combined hardware/software
functionality of the combined unit sending device 358 divided
schematically into a fax interface device function 366a and a fax
device function 366b. These functions are shown in this schematic
manner to represent their separate functionality but their sharing
of certain operational components. A user desiring to use the
combined unit sending device 358 as a standard fax machine,
depresses the command key button 362 to place the sending device in
the fax mode, after which the user will enter digits at the keypad
360 which will be interpreted as standard facsimile machine keypad
entries, resulting in the receipt and display of a telephone number
which number will be sent (through operation of the combined units
fax device function 36b) along communication line 107 to the public
telephone network 108 to effect a telephone connection with a
remote fax machine for fax-to-fax delivery of the hard copy
information placed in the device. Other features and
functionalities which are standard to typical prior art fax
machines are acceptably provided. When the user desires to send a
hard copy document to a recipient via electronic mail, the user
depresses the command key button 362 to switch the combined unit
sending device 358 to the fax-to-E-mail mode, in which mode the
user entries at the dual function keypad 360 are interpreted in
accordance with the prior described scheme of the present invention
to input and display alphanumeric E-mail addresses. With reference
to the prior disclosure, the combined unit sending device 358
operating through its fax interface device functionality 366a
communicates with the FEM-GATEWAY 104 in a manner similar to the
process described in connection with FIGS. 9A-9C previously. Once
the "SEND" key is depressed on the keypad of the combined unit
sending device 358 in response to the prompt at step 950 of FIG.
9C, the combined unit sending device switches to the fax device
functionality 366b to deliver the fax image data along
communication line 107 to the FEM-GATEWAY 104. The structure and
functionality of the FEM-GATEWAY 104 is substantially similar to
that previously described in connection with FIGS. 1-12 and the
interactive processes of FIGS. 11A-11C are substantially as
described previously. Furthermore, the remaining components (E-mail
network 116, E-mail Server 120 and E-mail device 118) of the
facsimile-to-E-mail communication system 100''' are substantially
similar to those described in connection with the embodiment of
FIGS. 1-12. Further explanation of the hardware and software
components of this combined unit fax/fax-to-E-mail sending device
358 is deemed unnecessary, as it will be readily understood by
those skilled in the art having reference to the previous detailed
descriptions of this specification.
[0075] It is understood that new and various communications
techniques and systems are available and becoming available which
communications techniques and systems are acceptably utilized to
provide the "communication links" (e.g., link 132, link 202, link
203, link 205) of the previously described preferred embodiments.
By way of example, FIG. 16 depicts schematically an acceptable
alternative communication link system 132' utilized as an
acceptable communication link 132 between the PSTN 108 and the
FEM-GATEWAY 104. The communication link system 132' includes what
is commonly termed an "Internet Telephony Gateway" 400 and a
computer network 116' (which is acceptably, though not necessarily,
that same computer network described herein as the e-mail network
116). The Internet Telephony Gateway 400 is, for example, based on
a gateway model currently developed by Dialogic Corporation of
Parsippany, N.J. and VocalTec Communications. This Internet
Telephony Gateway 400 functions, utilizing for example the
developing protocol known as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP),
to bridge the circuit-switched PSTN 108 with the regional or global
computer network 116' to which the FEM-SERVER 110 (FEM-GATEWAY 104)
is connected as a server, and to, thereby, provide real time
communication across the computer network 116' (e.g., the Internet)
between the fax locale (e.g., devices 102, 106--generically
depicted in FIG. 16) and the FEM-SERVER. Thus, the standard
telephone and standard fax signals are communicated by the fax
device 106 and/or fax interface device 102 (in accordance with one
or more of the preferred embodiments discussed above) to the PSTN
108, which passes the signals to the Internet Telephony Gateway
400, which gateway digitizes the telephony signal, compresses it,
packetizes it for the computer network (for example, the Internet
using Internet Protocol), and routs it to the FEM-SERVER 110 over
the computer network (e.g., Internet) 116'. The operation is
reversed for packets being communicated from the FEM-SERVER 110 (in
accordance with the above described preferred embodiments of the
present invention) to the fax locale. Within the context of the
broader scope of the present invention, the PSTN 108 and
communication link system 132' (e.g., gateway 400 and computer
network 116') function as a first communication network through
which the fax locale (devices 102, 106) and the FEM-GATEWAY 104'
communicate.
[0076] While the embodiments of the present invention which have
been disclosed herein are the preferred forms, other embodiments of
the present invention will suggest themselves to persons skilled in
the art in view of this disclosure. Therefore, it will be
understood that variations and modifications can be effected within
the spirit and scope of the present invention and that the scope of
the present invention should only be limited by the claims below.
Furthermore, the equivalents of all means-or-step-plus-function
elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure,
material, or acts for performing the function as specifically
claimed and as would be understood by persons skilled in the art of
this disclosure, without suggesting that any of the structure,
material, or acts are more obvious by virtue of their association
with other elements.
[0077] I claim:
* * * * *