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`US006020980C 1
`(12) EX PARTE REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE (9670th)
`United States Patent
`US 6,020,980 Cl
`(10) Number:
`Freeman
`(45) Certificate Issued: May 20, 2013
`
`(54) FACSIMILE DELIVERY TO ELECTRONIC
`MAIL
`
`Application Infonnation Retrieval (PAIR) system under the
`Display References tab.
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Michael B. Freeman, Colorado Springs,
`CO (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: J2 Global, Inc., Hollywood, CA (US)
`
`Reexamination Request:
`No. 90/012,650, Sep. 14,2012
`
`Reexamination Certificate for:
`Patent No.:
`6,020,980
`Issued:
`Feb. 1,2000
`Appl. No.:
`08/723,750
`Filed:
`Sep. 30, 1996
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H04L 12/58
`H04N 1/00
`H04N 1/32
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`USPC ................. 358/402; 379/100.08; 379/100.13;
`379/93.24
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`To view the complete listing of prior art documents cited
`during the proceeding for Reexamination Control Number
`90/012,650, please refer to the USPTO's public Patent
`
`Primary Examiner - Linh M. Nguyen
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A system and method is provided for delivering facsimile
`messages to electronic mail addresses as object files attached
`to or inserted within e-mail messages. A facsimile server
`device is provided with a facsimile modem for receiving
`facsimile calls. The facsimile server device includes various
`application file translation software programs for translating
`the facsimile object files to subscriber selected fonnats. In
`operation, an e-mail subscriber also subscribes to a facsimile(cid:173)
`delivery-to-electronic-mail system and is issued a specially
`designated phone number for receiving facsimile transmis(cid:173)
`sions. The subscriber selects a file translation format in accor(cid:173)
`dance with a software application program which the sub(cid:173)
`scriber uses. The facsimile server device receives and
`demodulates the facsimile transmission and stores it as an
`object file in the native facsimile format. The facsimile server
`device then queries a subscriber database for translation of the
`dialed phone number to an e-mail address. The subscriber
`database query also provides a subscriber selected file fonnat
`which the facsimile file is to be translated into prior to sending
`to the subscriber. The facsimile server device creates an
`e-mail message addressed to the e-mail address and translates
`the native facsimile object file to the format file specified by
`the subscriber database. The facsimile server device attaches
`the translated object file to the electronic mail message, or
`inserts it within, and sends the electronic mail message to the
`subscriber.
`
`,..-_ __ _ L-_ __ _ ,/315
`
`,--_ __ _ -'----_ __ _ ,/316
`
`,..-_ __ _ L-_ __ _ ,/318
`
`Place E-Mail Message in
`Recipient's Account
`
`Send E-Mail Message to
`Designated E-Mail System
`
`, - -_ __ ..L-_ __ ,
`
`/326
`
`Ex. 1002 - 1
`
`Integrated Global Concepts, Inc. - Ex. 1002
`
`

`

`US 6,020,980 CI
`
`1
`EX PARTE
`REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE
`ISSUED UNDER 35 U.S.C. 307
`
`THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS
`INDICATED BELOW.
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appeared in the
`patent, but has been deleted and is no longer a part ofthe 10
`patent; matter printed in italics indicates additions made
`to the patent.
`
`AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN
`DETERMINED THAT:
`
`15
`
`The patentability of claims 1 and 13 is confirmed.
`Claims 5, 7-9, 11, 12 and 14-20 are determined to be
`patentable as amended.
`New claims 21-36 are added and detennined to be
`patentable.
`Claims 2-4, 6 and 10 were not reexamined.
`
`20
`
`2
`
`(a) Microsoft Powerpoint;
`(b) Lotus Freelance;
`(c) Visio;
`[(c)] (d) Corel Draw;
`[(d)] (e) lPEG;
`[(e)] (j) Microsoft Paintbrush; and
`[(f)] (g) standard bit map fonnats.
`17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:
`[(6)] (8) permitting a subscriber to change a destination
`address.
`18. The method of claim 17, wherein step [(6)] (8) com(cid:173)
`prises the step of:
`(a) permitting a subscriber to change a destination address
`through a telephone connection.
`19. The method of claim 18, wherein step [(6)(a)] (8)(a)
`comprises pennitting a subscriber to change a destination
`address to another electronic mail address.
`20. The method of claim 18, wherein step [(6)(a)] (8)(a)
`comprises pennitting a subscriber to change a destination
`address to a facsimile telephone number.
`21. A facsimile-to-electronic mail system, comprising:
`a facsimile server device including:
`a facsimile receiving device;
`means for converting a facsimile transmission to a sub(cid:173)
`scriber selected format, including a facsimile server
`coupled to said facsimile receiving device, said fac(cid:173)
`simile server including file translation software for
`converting the facsimile transmission to the sub-
`scriber selected format, said subscriber selected for(cid:173)
`mat including at least one of the following software
`formats: Microsoft PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance,
`Visio, Corel Draw, JPEG, and Microsoft Paintbrush;
`means for transmitting a converted facsimile transmis(cid:173)
`sion to a subscriber electronic mail address; and
`a subscriber directory coupled to saidfacsimile server for
`storing subscriber information, for generating record
`formats comprising the subscriber information and for
`providing the record formats to said facsimile server, the
`subscriber information including subscriber electronic
`mail addresses and subscriber selected file translation
`formats.
`22. Afacsimile-to-electronic mail system, comprising:
`a facsimile server device including:
`a facsimile receiving device;
`means for converting a facsimile transmission to a sub(cid:173)
`scriber selected format, including a facsimile server
`coupled to said facsimile receiving device, said fac(cid:173)
`simile server including file translation software for
`converting the facsimile transmission to the sub(cid:173)
`scriber selected format, the subscriber selected for-
`mat including a text file;
`means for transmitting a converted facsimile transmis(cid:173)
`sion to a subscriber electronic mail address; and
`a subscriber directory coupled to saidfacsimile server for
`storing subscriber information, for generating record
`formats comprising the subscriber information and for
`providing the record formats to said facsimile server, the
`subscriber information including subscriber electronic
`mail addresses and subscriber selected file translation
`formats.
`23. The system of claim 22, wherein the textfile is attached
`to the electronic mail message.
`24. The system of claim 22, wherein the textfile is inserted
`into the body of the electronic mail message.
`25. A method of reformatting a facsimile transmission to an
`electronic mail system comprising the steps of
`
`30
`
`35
`
`5. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for transmit- 25
`ting include means for initiating electronic mail messages to
`subscribers, means for inserting [said] converted text files
`into said electronic mail messages and means for sending said
`electronic mail messages to said subscriber electronic mail
`addresses.
`7. The system of claim 2, wherein said facsimile server
`device includes means for changing a destination to which
`facsimile transmissions are to be forwarded to, said destina(cid:173)
`tion including at least one of:
`(i) a facsimile device;
`(ii) a telephone number[:]; and
`(iii) an electronic mail address.
`8. The system of claim 7, wherein said means for changing
`a destination to which the facsimile transmissions are to be
`forwarded to include an interactive voice response unit (IVR) 40
`coupled to said facsimile server device for receiving DTMF
`formatted commands from the subscriber through a telephone
`key pad.
`9. The system of claim 7, wherein said means for changing
`a destination to which the facsimile transmissions are to be 45
`forwarded to include a voice recognition unit (VRU) coupled
`to said facsimile server device for receiving voice commands
`from the subscriber.
`11. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for chang(cid:173)
`ing subscriber file translation specifications include an inter- 50
`active voice response unit (IVR) coupled to said facsimile
`server device for receiving DTMF formatted commands from
`the subscriber through a telephone key pad.
`12. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for chang(cid:173)
`ing subscriber file translation specifications include a voice 55
`recognition unit (VRU) coupled to said facsimile server
`device for receiving voice commands from the subscriber.
`14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:
`[(6)] (8) permitting a subscriber to select a translation
`format.
`15. The method of claim 14, wherein step [(6)] (8) com(cid:173)
`prises the step of:
`(a) pennitting the subscriber to select a translation fonnat
`through a telephone connection.
`16. The method of claim 15, wherein step [(6)(a)] (8)(a)
`comprises pennitting the subscriber to select at least one of
`the following software formats:
`
`60
`
`65
`
`Ex. 1002 - 2
`
`Integrated Global Concepts, Inc. - Ex. 1002
`
`

`

`US 6,020,980 CI
`
`3
`(1) receiving afacsimile transmission through a telephone
`number;
`(2) storing the receivedfacsimile transmission as an object
`file;
`(3) retrieving a record format associated with the tele(cid:173)
`phone number, the record format including an e-mail
`distribution list of a plurality of subscribers' and
`selected file translation specification for each of the
`plurality of subscribers, to determine the subscribers'
`selected file translation specifications,'
`(4) converting the stored object file into preselected file
`formats based upon the subscriber selectedfile transla(cid:173)
`tion specifications,'
`(5) retrieving the record format associated with the tele(cid:173)
`phone number to determine the subscribers' electronic 15
`mail addresses associated with the e-mail distribution
`list,'
`(6) creating electronic mail messages from the stored
`object file,' and
`(7) sending the electronic mail message to the plurality of 20
`subscribers,
`26, Afacsimile-to-electronic mail system, comprising,'
`a facsimile server device including,'
`a facsimile receiving device,'
`means for converting a facsimile transmission to a plu- 25
`rality of subscriber selected formats, including a fac(cid:173)
`simile server coupled to said facsimile receiving
`device, saidfacsimile server includingfile translation
`software for converting the facsimile transmission to
`the subscriber-selected formats,'
`means for transmitting a converted facsimile transmis(cid:173)
`sion to a subscriber electronic mail address,' and
`a subscriber directory coupled to said facsimile server for
`storing subscriber information, for generating record
`formats comprising the subscriber information and for 35
`providing the record formats to said facsimile server, the
`subscriber information including subscriber electronic
`mail addresses and subscriber selected file translation
`formats,
`27, The system ofclaim 26, wherein thefacsimile transmis- 40
`sion is sent to a plurality of email addresses associated with
`an e-mail distribution list stored in the subscriber directory,
`28, The system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber directory
`stores a designated phone number assigned by a service
`provider to the subscriber.
`29, The system of claim 21, wherein the subscriber direc(cid:173)
`tory stores a designated phone number assigned by a service
`provider to the subscriber.
`30, The system of claim 22, wherein the subscriber direc(cid:173)
`tory stores a designated phone number assigned by a service 50
`provider to the subscriber.
`31, A facsimile-to-electronic mail system, comprising,'
`a facsimile server device including,'
`a facsimile receiving device,'
`means for converting a facsimile transmission from a 55
`native facsimile object file to a subscriber selected
`format, including a facsimile server coupled to said
`facsimile receiving device, said facsimile server
`including file translation software for converting the
`facsimile transmission to the subscriber selectedfor- 60
`mat,'
`means for transmitting a converted facsimile transmis(cid:173)
`sion to a subscriber electronic mail address,' and
`a subscriber directory coupled to said facsimile server for
`storing subscriber information, for generating record 65
`formats comprising the subscriber information and for
`
`4
`providing the record formats to said facsimile server, the
`subscriber information including subscriber electronic
`mail addresses and subscriber selected file translation
`formats,'
`wherein the subscriber selectedformat is aformat associ(cid:173)
`ated with a graphics application program,
`32, The system of claim 31, wherein the format associated
`with a graphics application program is selected by the sub(cid:173)
`scriber based on available applications available to the sub-
`10 scriber on the system accessing the converted facsimile trans-
`mission,
`33, The system of claim 31, wherein the format associated
`with a graphics application program is a format other than a
`text file and other than an image file,
`34, The system ofclaim 31, wherein the convertedfacsimile
`is transmitted without transmitting the native facsimile object
`file,
`35, Afacsimile-to-electronic mail system, comprising,'
`a facsimile server device including,'
`a facsimile receiving device,'
`means for converting a facsimile transmission to a sub(cid:173)
`scriber selected format, including a facsimile server
`coupled to said facsimile receiving device, said fac(cid:173)
`simile server including file translation software for
`converting the facsimile transmission to the sub(cid:173)
`scriber-selected format,'
`means for transmitting a converted facsimile transmis(cid:173)
`sion to a subscriber electronic mail address,' and
`a subscriber directory coupled to saidfacsimile server for
`storing subscriber information, for generating record
`formats comprising the subscriber information and for
`providing the record formats to said facsimile server, the
`subscriber information including subscriber electronic
`mail addresses and subscriber selected file translation
`formats,'
`wherein the subscriber-selected format is received directly
`from the subscriber.
`36, A method of reformatting a facsimile transmission to an
`electronic mail system comprising the steps of
`(1) receiving from a subscriber a selection of a subscrib(cid:173)
`er's selected format,'
`(2) storing the subscriber's selectedformat,'
`(3) receiving a facsimile transmission through a telephone
`number associated with the subscriber,'
`(4) storing the received facsimile transmission as an object
`file,'
`(5) retrieving a record format associated with the tele(cid:173)
`phone number, the record format including the subscrib(cid:173)
`er's electronic mail address and selected file translation
`specification, said file translation specification associ(cid:173)
`ated with said subscriber's selected format, to deter(cid:173)
`mine the subscriber's selected file translation specifica(cid:173)
`tion,'
`(6) converting the stored object file into a preselected file
`format based upon the subscriber selected file transla(cid:173)
`tion specification,'
`(7) retrieving the record format associated with the tele(cid:173)
`phone number to determine the subscriber's electronic
`mail address,'
`(8) creating an electronic mail message from the stored
`object file,' and
`(9) sending the electronic mail message,
`* * * * *
`
`30
`
`45
`
`Ex. 1002 - 3
`
`Integrated Global Concepts, Inc. - Ex. 1002
`
`