Method and system for storage and/or transmission of confidential facsimile documents

Claim 1

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents, comprising: digital means connected to a communication line for relaying information from and to said communication line; memory means connected to said digital means for storing a facsimile document and identifying data being associated with said facsimile document; and control means connected to said digital means and said memory means for determining whether a facsimile document is to be stored or if a facsimile document is to be forwarded, wherein when said control means determines that a facsimile document is to be stored, said control means directs said memory means to store said facsimile document only after having requested the sender to input an identification number and having received the identification number from the sender which is to be associated with said facsimile document, and when said control means determines that a previously stored facsimile document is to be forwarded, said control means directs said memory means to forward said previously stored facsimile document to a recipient only if an identification number supplied by a recipient matches the identification number created by the sender associated with said previously stored facsimile document and only if said previously stored facsimile document has not previously been forwarded to a recipient.

Claim 2

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents, comprising: digital means connected to a communication line for relaying information from and to said communication line; memory means connected to said digital means for storing a facsimile document and identifying data being associated with said facsimile document; and control means connected to said digital means and said memory means for determining whether a facsimile document is to be stored or if a facsimile document is to be forwarded, wherein when said control means determines that a facsimile document is to be stored, said control means directs said memory means to store said facsimile document only after having requested the sender to input an identification number and having received the identification number from the sender which is to be associated with said facsimile document, and when said control means determines that a previously stored facsimile document is to be forwarded, said control means directs said memory means to forward said previously stored facsimile document to a recipient only if an identification number supplied by a recipient matches the identification number created by the sender associated with said previously stored facsimile document and only if said previously stored facsimile document has not previously been forwarded to a recipient.

Claim 4

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents via communication lines systems, comprising: digital means, connected to a communication line, for relaying information from and to said communication line;. memory means, connected to said digital means, for storing facsimile documents and identification data which is associated with each said facsimile document; control means, connected to said digital means and said memory means, for controlling the storing and forwarding of said facsimile documents, said control means including: storage means for requesting the sender to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the sender, receiving a facsimile document from the sender via said digital means and said communications line, obtaining a security delivery option for said facsimile document inputted by the sender, and directing said memory means to store said facsimile document and the associated security code number and security delivery option, and forwarding means for requesting the recipient to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the recipient, comparing that number to the security code numbers inputted by senders and stored by said memory means in association with facsimile documents, and, only if the security code number inputted by the recipient is the same as that stored in said memory means, directing said memory means to forward the stored facsimile document associated with said security code number to the recipient via said digital means and communication line.

Claim 5

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents via communication lines systems, comprising: digital means, connected to a communication line, for relaying information from and to said communication line;. memory means, connected to said digital means, for storing facsimile documents and identification data which is associated with each said facsimile document; control means, connected to said digital means and said memory means, for controlling the storing and forwarding of said facsimile documents, said control means including: storage means for requesting the sender to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the sender, receiving a facsimile document from the sender via said digital means and said communications line, obtaining a security delivery option for said facsimile document inputted by the sender, and directing said memory means to store said facsimile document and the associated security code number and security delivery option, and forwarding means for requesting the recipient to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the recipient, comparing that number to the security code numbers inputted by senders and stored by said memory means in association with facsimile documents, and, only if the security code number inputted by the recipient is the same as that stored in said memory means, directing said memory means to forward the stored facsimile document associated with said security code number to the recipient via said digital means and communication line.

Claim 8

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents via communication lines systems, comprising: digital means, connected to a communication line, for relaying information from and to said communication line; memory means, connected to said digital means, for storing facsimile documents and identification data which is associated with each said facsimile document; control means, connected to said digital means and said memory means, for controlling the storing and forwarding of said facsimile documents, said control means including: storage means for obtaining a security code number inputted by the sender, receiving a facsimile document from the sender via said digital means and said communications line, obtaining from the sender a facsimile machine telephone number of the intended recipient of the facsimile document and directing said memory means to store said facsimile document and the associated security code number and facsimile machine telephone number, and forwarding means for determining the telephone number from which the incoming call from the recipient was made, obtaining a security code number inputted by the recipient, comparing the inputted security code number to the security code numbers stored by said memory means in association with facsimile documents and facsimile machine telephone numbers, and, only if the security code number inputted by the recipient is the same as that stored in said memory means, and only if the telephone number from which said incoming call from the recipient was made is the same as the facsimile machine telephone number stored in said memory means in association with said stored facsimile document, directing said memory means to forward the stored facsimile document associated with said security code number to the recipient via said digital means and said communication line.

Claim 9

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents via communication lines systems, comprising: digital means, connected to a communication line, for relaying information from and to said communication line; memory means, connected to said digital means, for storing facsimile documents and identification data which is associated with each said facsimile document; control means, connected to said digital means and said memory means, for controlling the storing and forwarding of said facsimile documents, said control means including: storage means for obtaining a security code number inputted by the sender, receiving a facsimile document from the sender via said digital means and said communications line, obtaining from the sender a facsimile machine telephone number of the intended recipient of the facsimile document and directing said memory means to store said facsimile document and the associated security code number and facsimile machine telephone number, and forwarding means for determining the telephone number from which the incoming call from the recipient was made, obtaining a security code number inputted by the recipient, comparing the inputted security code number to the security code numbers stored by said memory means in association with facsimile documents and facsimile machine telephone numbers, and, only if the security code number inputted by the recipient is the same as that stored in said memory means, and only if the telephone number from which said incoming call from the recipient was made is the same as the facsimile machine telephone number stored in said memory means in association with said stored facsimile document, directing said memory means to forward the stored facsimile document associated with said security code number to the recipient via said digital means and said communication line.

Claim 13

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents via communication lines systems, comprising: digital means, connected to a communication line, for relaying information from and to said communication line; memory means, connected to said digital means, for storing facsimile documents and identification data which is associated with each said facsimile document; and control means, connected to said digital means and said memory means, for controlling the storing and forwarding of said facsimile documents, said control means including: storage means for requesting the sender to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the sender, receiving a facsimile document from the sender via said digital means and said communications line, and directing said memory means to store said facsimile document and the associated security code number without checking whether said security code number identifies a subscriber, forwarding means for requesting the recipient to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the recipient, comparing that number to the security code numbers inputted by senders and stored by said memory means in association with facsimile documents, and, only if the security code number inputted by the recipient is the same as that stored in said memory means, directing said memory means to forward the stored facsimile document associated with said security code number to the recipient via said digital means and communication line, and security means for preventing any said stored facsimile document from being transmitted more than once.

Claim 14

A system for receiving and transmitting confidential facsimile documents via communication lines systems, comprising: digital means, connected to a communication line, for relaying information from and to said communication line; memory means, connected to said digital means, for storing facsimile documents and identification data which is associated with each said facsimile document; and control means, connected to said digital means and said memory means, for controlling the storing and forwarding of said facsimile documents, said control means including: storage means for requesting the sender to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the sender, receiving a facsimile document from the sender via said digital means and said communications line, and directing said memory means to store said facsimile document and the associated security code number without checking whether said security code number identifies a subscriber, forwarding means for requesting the recipient to input a security code number, obtaining the security code number inputted by the recipient, comparing that number to the security code numbers inputted by senders and stored by said memory means in association with facsimile documents, and, only if the security code number inputted by the recipient is the same as that stored in said memory means, directing said memory means to forward the stored facsimile document associated with said security code number to the recipient via said digital means and communication line, and security means for preventing any said stored facsimile document from being transmitted more than once.

Claim 24

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving a facsimile document from a sender; requesting the sender of the facsimile document to input a security code number to be associated with the facsimile document; storing the facsimile document and the associated security code number without checking whether said security code number identifies a subscriber; and periodically checking the date and time of receipt of each stored facsimile document and purging each stored facsimile document which has been stored for more than a predetermined time period.

Claim 25

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving a facsimile document from a sender; requesting the sender of the facsimile document to input a security code number to be associated with the facsimile document; storing the facsimile document and the associated security code number without checking whether said security code number identifies a subscriber; and periodically checking the date and time of receipt of each stored facsimile document and purging each stored facsimile document which has been stored for more than a predetermined time period.

Claim 28

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving a facsimile document from a sender; requesting the sender of the facsimile document to create a security code number to be associated with the facsimile document and to select a security delivery option for forwarding the stored facsimile document; and storing the facsimile document and the associated security code number and security delivery option.

Claim 29

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving a facsimile document from a sender; requesting the sender of the facsimile document to create a security code number to be associated with the facsimile document and to select a security delivery option for forwarding the stored facsimile document; and storing the facsimile document and the associated security code number and security delivery option.

Claim 31

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving a facsimile document from a sender; requesting the sender of the facsimile document to input a security code number to be associated with the facsimile document; creating a message number for the facsimile document received from the sender; and storing the facsimile document and the associated security code number and message number.

Claim 32

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving a facsimile document from a sender; requesting the sender of the facsimile document to input a security code number to be associated with the facsimile document; creating a message number for the facsimile document received from the sender; and storing the facsimile document and the associated security code number and message number.

Claim 34

A method for forwarding a confidential facsimile document which has been stored with an associated security code number created by the sender of the facsimile document, comprising the steps of: requesting a recipient to input a security code number; checking the security code number with security code numbers stored with associated facsimile documents; checking to determine whether the facsimile document associated with the security code has been previously forwarded to any recipient; and forwarding the facsimile document if the security code number matches the security code number associated therewith and if the facsimile document has not been previously forwarded to any recipient.

Claim 35

A method for forwarding a confidential facsimile document which has been stored with an associated security code number created by the sender of the facsimile document, comprising the steps of: requesting a recipient to input a security code number; checking the security code number with security code numbers stored with associated facsimile documents; checking to determine whether the facsimile document associated with the security code has been previously forwarded to any recipient; and forwarding the facsimile document if the security code number matches the security code number associated therewith and if the facsimile document has not been previously forwarded to any recipient.

Claim 38

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising: receiving facsimile documents from senders; requesting the sender of each facsimile document to create a security code number to be associated with that specific document and, optionally, to input other identifying information; optionally creating a message number for each facsimile document, whereby said security code, alone or in combination with one or more of said other identifying information and said message number, is an identifier which uniquely identifies a single associated facsimile document; and storing each facsimile document in conjunction with the security code and any other identifying information and any message number associated therewith.

Claim 39

A method for storing confidential facsimile documents, comprising: receiving facsimile documents from senders; requesting the sender of each facsimile document to create a security code number to be associated with that specific document and, optionally, to input other identifying information; optionally creating a message number for each facsimile document, whereby said security code, alone or in combination with one or more of said other identifying information and said message number, is an identifier which uniquely identifies a single associated facsimile document; and storing each facsimile document in conjunction with the security code and any other identifying information and any message number associated therewith.

Claim 44

A method for receiving, storing and transmitting confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving facsimile documents from senders; requesting the sender of each facsimile document to create a security code number to be associated with that specific document and, optionally, to input other identifying information; optionally creating a message number for each facsimile document, whereby said security code, alone or in combination with one or more of said other identifying information and said message number, is an identifier which uniquely identifies a single associated facsimile document; storing each facsimile document in conjunction with the security code and any other identifying information and any message number associated therewith; receiving requests for facsimile documents from recipients; receiving an identifier, including the security code created by the sender of that facsimile document, from a recipient for each facsimile document requested by a recipient; and forwarding the facsimile document which had been stored in association with said identifier only if the recipient inputs the correct identifier.

Claim 45

A method for receiving, storing and transmitting confidential facsimile documents, comprising the steps of: receiving facsimile documents from senders; requesting the sender of each facsimile document to create a security code number to be associated with that specific document and, optionally, to input other identifying information; optionally creating a message number for each facsimile document, whereby said security code, alone or in combination with one or more of said other identifying information and said message number, is an identifier which uniquely identifies a single associated facsimile document; storing each facsimile document in conjunction with the security code and any other identifying information and any message number associated therewith; receiving requests for facsimile documents from recipients; receiving an identifier, including the security code created by the sender of that facsimile document, from a recipient for each facsimile document requested by a recipient; and forwarding the facsimile document which had been stored in association with said identifier only if the recipient inputs the correct identifier.