Facsimile mail system linked to data communication system

Claim 2

A linked mail system, according to claim 1, wherein said communication center (10a) further comprises, electronic mail service control means for controlling the transmission of electronic mails, third communication control means (11a) for controlling communication operations between said electronic mail service control means and said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), on the side of said communication center (10a), and fourth communication control means (15a) for controlling communication operations between said electronic mail service control means and said facsimile mail center (20a) through said signal path (100), on the side of said communication center (10a).

Claim 3

A linked mail system, according to claim 2, wherein said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises, facsimile mail information storage means for storing contents of facsimile mails which are to be transmitted to one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and facsimile mail control data storing means for storing control data being used for controlling the transmission of facsimile mails.

Claim 4

A linked mail system, according to claim 3, said communication center (10a) further comprises, electronic mail information storage means for storing contents of electronic mails which are to be transmitted to one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and electronic mail control data storing means for storing control data being used for controlling the transmission of electronic mails.

Claim 5

A linked mail system according to claim 4, wherein said communication center (10a) further comprises, facsimile operating command receiving means for receiving a command for an operation of said facsimile mail center (20a), through said third communication control means (11a), and facsimile operation command relay means for transferring said command to said facsimile mail center (20a) by said fourth communication control means (15a) and said signal path (100) through said signal path (100), said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises, relayed command executing means for receiving said command transferred through said signal path (100) and said second communication control means (25a), and executing the received command by activating said facsimile mail service control means in response to the received command.

Claim 6

A linked mail system according to claim 5, wherein said facsimile operating command receiving means receives a command for transmitting a message stored in said facsimile mail information storage means, to one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6).

Claim 7

A linked mail system according to claim 5, wherein said facsimile mail information storage means comprises a mailbox corresponding to each of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), said mailbox stores a message transmitted from the corresponding facsimile terminal to the facsimile mail center (20a), and a message to be transmitted from the facsimile mail center (20a) to the corresponding facsimile terminal, said facsimile operating command receiving means receives a command for transferring a message stored in said mailbox corresponding to one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), to one or more of the other mailboxes corresponding to said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) other than said one facsimile terminal, and said facsimile mail service control means in said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises means for transferring the message stored in said mailbox corresponding to said one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), to said one or more of the other mailboxes corresponding to said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) other than said one facsimile terminal, in response to said command for the transferring operation.

Claim 8

A linked mail system according to claim 7, wherein said facsimile operating command receiving means receives a command for transmitting a message stored in one of said mailbox to one corresponding to the mailbox, of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and said facsimile mail service control means in said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises means for transmitting the message stored in said one of said mailbox to said one corresponding to the mailbox, of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), in response to said command for the transmitting operation.

Claim 9

A linked mail system according to claim 7, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises, first list storing means for storing a first list of messages stored in each mailbox and transmitted thereto from the corresponding facsimile terminal, and second list storing means for storing a second list of messages stored in each mailbox and transferred thereto from one of the other mailboxes to be transmitted to one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) corresponding to the mailbox, said first list contains information on whether or not each of the messages of the first list have been transferred to one or more of said plurality of pieces of facsimile terminal equipment to which each message is to be transmitted, and said second list contains information on whether or not each of the messages of the second list have been transmitted to said one of said plurality of pieces of facsimile terminal equipment to which each message is to be transmitted; said communication center (10a) further comprises, means for receiving a request for transmitting information in said first and second lists to one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5) through said third communication control means (11a), from said one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), and means for transmitting said information in said first and second lists to said one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5) from which said command for requesting transmitting information is received, through said third communication control means (11a), in response to said request.

Claim 10

A linked mail system according to claim 8, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises second facsimile mail control data storing means for storing at least a part of said control data stored in said facsimile mail control data storing means in said facsimile mail center (20a), including the contents of said first and second lists, and said facsimile mail service control means in said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises facsimile control data transmitting means for transmitting said at least a part of said control data stored in said facsimile mail control data storing means, including the contents of said first and second lists, to said communication center (10a) by said second communication control means (25a) through said signal path (100), when said control data is renewed.

Claim 11

A linked mail system according to claim 7, wherein said communication center (10a) further comprises, additional information receiving means for receiving additional information to be attached to a message stored in one of said mailbox, and additional information transmitting means for transmitting said additional information to said facsimile mail center (20a) by said fourth communication control means (15a), said facsimile operating command receiving means receives a command for operations of attaching said additional information to said message, and transmitting the message together with the additional information, to one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) corresponding to said mailbox storing the message, and said facsimile mail service control means in said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises, means for receiving said command for attaching and transmitting, through said second communication control means (25a), means for receiving said additional information transmitted from said additional information transmitting means, through said second communication control means (25a), converting means for converting the received additional information into image data, and transmitting means for transmitting by facsimile said image data of the converted additional information, and said message, to one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) corresponding to a mailbox storing the message, through said first communication control means (21a), in response to said command for attaching and transmitting.

Claim 12

A linked mail system according to claim 4, wherein said communication center (10a) further comprises, facsimile delivery command receiving means for receiving through said third communication control means (11a), a command for delivering, by said facsimile mail center (20a), a message of an electronic mail stored in said electronic mail information storing means, to one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and facsimile delivery supporting means for transferring said command and said information in said electronic mail to said facsimile mail center (20a) by said fourth communication control means (15a) through said signal path (100), and said facsimile mail center (20a) further comprises, converting means for receiving said command and said information in the electronic mail transferred from said communication center (10a) through said second communication control means (25a), and converting the information in the electronic mail into image data, facsimile delivery moans for delivering, by facsimile, the image data of the converted information in the electronic mail, to said one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) through said first communication control means (21a).

Claim 13

A linked mail system according to claim 4, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises means for assigning a first identification number to each of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), and said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises means for assigning a second identification number to each of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6); and said communication center (10a) further comprises means for converting one of the second identification number into a corresponding first identification number, and said facsimile mail center (20a) further comprising a unit for converting one of the first identification number into a corresponding second identification number.

Claim 14

A linked mail system according to claim 4, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises, means for receiving a request for a subscriber signing-up of said linked mail system, from one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), first inquiry means (402) for transmitting a first inquiry on a first condition as a subscriber of said communication center, to the data terminal from which said request is received, through said third communication control means (11a), means (405) for receiving information on said first condition from said data terminal through said third communication control means (11a) in response to said first inquiry, first registration means (405) for registering said first condition corresponding to said data terminal, second inquiry means (408) for transmitting inquiries on a second condition as a subscriber of said facsimile mail center to the data terminal from which said request is received, through said third communication control means (11a), said second condition includes information by which said facsimile mail center (20a) can access one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) corresponding to said data terminal, means (409) for receiving information on said second condition from said data terminal through said third communication control means (11a) in response to said second inquiry, and subscriber's condition transferring means (413) for transferring said second condition to said facsimile mail center (20a) by said fourth communication control means (15a) through said signal path (100); and said facsimile mail center (20a) comprises, means for receiving said second condition through said second communication control means (25a), and second registration means (414) for registering said second condition corresponding to said data terminal.

Claim 15

A linked message board system, comprising: a communication system comprising, a plurality of data terminals (1, 5), and a communication center (10a) being connected to said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), respectively, through a communication network, for managing and controlling transmissions of text and binary information, including electronic message boards, among said plurality of data terminals (1, 5) and the communication center (10a); a facsimile mail/message board system comprising, a plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and a facsimile mail/message board center being connected to said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), respectively, through a communication network, for managing and controlling registration and reading operations of facsimile message boards by said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6); and a signal path (100) connecting said communication center (10a) and said facsimile message board center; said facsimile mail/message board center comprises, facsimile message board service control means for controlling the transmission of information on the facsimile message boards by the plurality of data terminals (1, 5), first communication control means (21a) for controlling, on the side of said facsimile mail/message board center, the transmission of information on the facsimile message boards between the plurality of data terminals (1, 5) and said facsimile mail/message board center, second Communication control means (25a) for controlling, on the side of said facsimile mail/message board center, communication operations between said facsimile message board service control means and said facsimile mail/message board center through said signal path (100), facsimile message board information storage means for storing contents of the facsimile message boards, and facsimile message board control data storing means for storing control data being used by said service control means for controlling the facsimile message boards; and said communication center (10a) comprises, service control means for controlling the transmission of electronic message boards, third communication control means (11a) for controlling communication operations between said service control means and said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), on the side of said communication center (10a), and fourth communication control means (15a) for controlling communication operations between said service control means and said facsimile mail/message board center through said signal path (100), on the side of said communication center (10a).

Claim 16

A linked message board system according to claim 15, wherein said communication center (10a) further comprises, facsimile operating command receiving means for receiving a command for an operation of said facsimile mail/message board center, through said third communication control means (11a), and facsimile operation command relay means for transferring said command to said facsimile mail/message board center by said fourth communication control means (15a) and said signal path (100) through said signal path (100), said facsimile mail/message board center comprises, relayed command executing means for receiving said command transferred through said signal path (100) and said second communication control means (25a), and executing the received command by activating said facsimile message board service control means in response to the received command.

Claim 17

A linked message board system according to claim 16, wherein said facsimile operating command receiving means receives a command for transmitting a message stored in said facsimile message board information storage means, to one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6).

Claim 18

A linked message board system according to claim 16, wherein said facsimile message board information storage means stores information on said message boards, said facsimile operating command receiving means receives a command for transmitting a message stored in one of said message boards to one of said plurality of of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and said facsimile message board service control means in said facsimile mail/message board center comprises means for transmitting the message stored in said one of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), in response to said command for the transmitting operation.

Claim 19

A linked message board system according to claim 18, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises, list storing means for storing a list of messages stored in each message board; said communication center (10a) further comprises, means for receiving a request for transmitting information in said list to one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5) through said third communication control means (11a), from said one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), and means for transmitting said information in said list to said one of said plurality of data terminals (1, 5) from which said command for requesting transmitting information is received, through said third communication control means (11a), in response to said request.

Claim 20

A linked message board system according to claim 19, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises second facsimile message board control data storing means for storing at least a part of said control data stored in said facsimile message board control data storing means in said facsimile mail/message board center, including the contents of said list, and said facsimile message board service control means in said facsimile mail/message board center comprises facsimile control data transmitting means for transmitting said at least a part of said control data stored in said facsimile message board control data storing means, including the contents of said list, to said communication center (10a) by said second communication control means (25a) through said signal path (100), when said control data is renewed.

Claim 21

A linked mail system, comprising: a plurality of data terminals (1, 5); a communication center (10a) being connected to said plurality of data terminals (1, 5), respectively, through a communication network, for managing and controlling the transmissions of text and binary information, including electronic mails, among said plurality of data terminals (1, 5) and the communication center (10a); a plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6); a facsimile mail center (20a) being connected to said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), respectively, through a communication network, for managing and controlling transmissions of facsimile mails among said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6) and said facsimile mail center (20a); and a signal path (100) connecting said communication center (10a) and said facsimile mail center (20a); said communication center (10a) comprises, electronic mail service control moans for controlling the transmission of electronic mails, third communication control means (11a) for controlling communication operations between said electronic mail service control means and said plurality of date terminals (1, 5), and fourth communication control means (15a) for controlling communication operations between said electronic mail service control moans and said facsimile mail center (20a) through said signal path (30).

Claim 22

A linked mail system according to claim 21, wherein said communication center (10a) comprises, electronic mail information storage means for storing contents of electronic mails which are to be transmitted to one or more of said plurality of facsimile terminals (2, 6), and electronic mail control data storing means for storing control data being used for controlling the transmission of electronic mails.