Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for transparently processing a fax transmission by a fax software program in a mobile device. In one embodiment, the fax software program identifies an incoming call at the mobile device. Upon the identification, the program prevents a display screen of the mobile device from outputting an incoming call ringing alert. The program answers the incoming call and analyzes the call to detect whether the answered call is a voice call. Upon detecting that the answered incoming call is a voice call, the program outputs the incoming call ringing alert via the display screen. Otherwise, if the answered incoming call is a fax transmission, the program merges the call with a fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a system and method for distributed data storage and delivery using blockchain. For example, a file can be received from a participant and split into constituent files. A hash value for the received file and each of the constituent files can be generated, and the constituent files can be encrypted using one or more predetermined or user selected encryption keys. The encrypted files can be stored in at least one storage location. Upon receiving a file retrieval request, each file of the plurality of encrypted files can be retrieved and decrypted using the one or more predetermined or user selected encryption keys. A hash value for each decrypted file can be generated and compared to hash values for the corresponding files of the plurality of constituent files, or a hash value for the recombined constituent files can be generated and compared to the hash value for the original file. Other aspects also are described.

Abstract: A workload balancing technique enhances balancing of workloads processed by components of a telephone communication system configured to render telephony services over a computer network. The telephony services illustratively include private branch exchange (PBX) services suitable for customers with geographically dispersed telephone service demands. The workload balancing technique is invoked by the communication system to reduce contention among the components of the system, such as telephone access servers (TASes) coupled to a proxy router, when servicing telephony requests issued by the customers, thus enabling rendering of the telephony services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. As described herein, an available TAS is randomly selected to service a telephony request received by the proxy router from a network coupled to the communication system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for message transfer and retrieval are provided. According to some aspects, message information is received from a sender, and a message can be created based on the received message information. A hash of the message and transaction information related to the message can be generated and provided to a current block in a blockchain. The message is transferred or otherwise provided to a receiver, and upon receipt and validation of authentication information from the receiver, access to the received message is provided to the receiver. A hash of the received message and additional transaction information related to the received message is generated and provided to a current block in the blockchain. Other aspects also are provided.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting user credentials to another device. According to some embodiments, a method is described of receiving into a first portable electronic device a set of credentials from a user, the set of credentials to include a WLAN SSID and a network key, the set of credentials to allow the first device to connect to the WLAN. The set of credentials is used to connect the first device to the WLAN. The first device creates a message for wireless transmission, the message includes the set of credentials for accessing the WLAN and is adapted to be delivered to a second device. Finally, the first device transmits the message over the air, wherein the message is addressed to the second device. The second device receives the message and uses the credentials in the message to connect to the WLAN. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A workload balancing technique enhances balancing of workloads processed by components of a telephone communication system configured to render telephony services over a computer network. The telephony services illustratively include private branch exchange (PBX) services suitable for customers with geographically dispersed telephone service demands. The workload balancing technique is invoked by the communication system to reduce contention among the components of the system, such as telephone access servers (TASes) coupled to a proxy router, when servicing telephony requests issued by the customers, thus enabling rendering of the telephony services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. As described herein, an available TAS is randomly selected to service a telephony request received by the proxy router from a network coupled to the communication system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for transparently processing a fax transmission by a fax software program in a mobile device. In one embodiment, the fax software program identifies an incoming call at the mobile device. Upon the identification, the program prevents a display screen of the mobile device from outputting an incoming call ringing alert. The program answers the incoming call and analyzes the call to detect whether the answered call is a voice call. Upon detecting that the answered incoming call is a voice call, the program outputs the incoming call ringing alert via the display screen. Otherwise, if the answered incoming call is a fax transmission, the program merges the call with a fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for receiving a fax transmission at a mobile phone. In one embodiment, the mobile phone receives an incoming call and answers the incoming call, upon receiving a command from a user of the mobile phone to answer the incoming call. A program on the mobile phone then detects that the incoming call is a fax transmission, and then places an outgoing call to a fax server. The program on the mobile phone then conferences the incoming call with the outgoing call to the fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for receiving a fax transmission at a mobile phone. In one embodiment, the mobile phone receives an incoming call and answers the incoming call, upon receiving a command from a user of the mobile phone to answer the incoming call. A program on the mobile phone then detects that the incoming call is a fax transmission, and then places an outgoing call to a fax server. The program on the mobile phone then conferences the incoming call with the outgoing call to the fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A system for providing an internet fax service has an engine to process a raw fax document, received for a user of the internet fax service, using digital character recognition to produce recognized text or an associated formatted text document. A conversion engine may convert the raw fax to native file format being one of a) word processor format, b) spreadsheet format, c) slide presentation format, or d) another format that can be read on a user interface. An internet server is to make the native file format document available to the user over an internet. A fax content processing unit is to perform keyword scanning of the recognized text, and then allows the user to search for stored faxes by keyword. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting user credentials to another device. According to some embodiments, a method is described of receiving into a first portable electronic device a set of credentials from a user, the set of credentials to include a WLAN SSID and a network key, the set of credentials to allow the first device to connect to the WLAN. The set of credentials is used to connect the first device to the WLAN. The first device creates a message for wireless transmission, the message includes the set of credentials for accessing the WLAN and is adapted to be delivered to a second device. Finally, the first device transmits the message over the air, wherein the message is addressed to the second device. The second device receives the message and uses the credentials in the message to connect to the WLAN. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for receiving a fax transmission at a mobile phone. In one embodiment, the mobile phone receives an incoming call and answers the incoming call, upon receiving a command from a user of the mobile phone to answer the incoming call. A program on the mobile phone then detects that the incoming call is a fax transmission, and then places an outgoing call to a fax server. The program on the mobile phone then conferences the incoming call with the outgoing call to the fax server, such that the fax server receives the fax transmission. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The invention concerns telecommunications methods and systems, and more particularly methods and systems for enabling respondents, who may be potential customers, to respond to advertisements for items (goods or services) advertised by or on behalf of advertisers. Telecommunications methods and systems of the invention provide selective communication routing or forwarding to advertisers of communications made to anonymous contact identifiers selected from a pool of anonymous contact identifiers, each anonymous contact identifier able to be allocated to an item to be advertised by or on behalf of the advertiser. The anonymous contact identifier is a public telephone number or an email address, for example. The service is provided by way of hosted system for use by a plurality of advertisers.

Abstract: An email-to-facsimile (fax) processing system efficiently services requests issued by customers of the system in a fair and impartial manner. The system illustratively includes a plurality of components configured to provide email-to-fax processing services over a network. The components of the email-to-fax system include computer nodes executing software processes and/or services embodied as one or more FaxEmail routers, FaxEmail pollers, Rendering servers and Fax assemblers. The email-to-fax processing services provided by the components illustratively include email storage and retrieval services, email-to-fax conversion services and fax organizational transmission services. One or more of these services may be performed by the components in a randomized fashion to ensure that the customer requests, such as email-to-fax requests, may be fairly and impartially processed by the system.

Abstract: An email-to-facsimile (fax) processing system efficiently services requests issued by customers of the system in a fair and impartial manner. The system illustratively includes a plurality of components configured to provide email-to-fax processing services over a network. The components of the email-to-fax system include computer nodes executing software processes and/or services embodied as one or more FaxEmail routers, FaxEmail pollers, Rendering servers and Fax assemblers. The email-to-fax processing services provided by the components illustratively include email storage and retrieval services, email-to-fax conversion services and fax organizational transmission services. One or more of these services may be performed by the components in a randomized fashion to ensure that the customer requests, such as email-to-fax requests, may be fairly and impartially processed by the system.

Abstract: The communication device has: a first communication transceiver for transmitting and receiving communication with a first facsimile machine via an analogue link; a second communication transceiver for transmitting and receiving communication with a digital communication network via a digital link; a converter to convert an analogue signal to a digital signal; a memory adapted to store the telephone number of a second, remote, facsimile machine receiving a fax to be transmitted, and to store in memory a digital data file corresponding to the conversion of a fax in analogue form into a digital file by the converter; and an electronic controller having a first simulator simulating an analogue telephone network, a second simulator simulating the second facsimile machine ready to receive a fax, and a forwarding device to forward digital data via the digital communication network which contain the digital file corresponding to the fax.

Abstract: A system and method for transmitting user credentials to another device. According to some embodiments, a method is described of receiving into a first portable electronic device a set of credentials from a user, the set of credentials to include a WLAN SSID and a network key, the set of credentials to allow the first device to connect to the WLAN. The set of credentials is used to connect the first device to the WLAN. The first device creates a message for wireless transmission, the message includes the set of credentials for accessing the WLAN and is adapted to be delivered to a second device. Finally, the first device transmits the message over the air, wherein the message is addressed to the second device. The second device receives the message and uses the credentials in the message to connect to the WLAN. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing outbound fax messages in an efficient and scalable manner are provided. According to one embodiment, a request to deliver a fax message is received by an Internet fax system. Source files associated with the request and representing at least a portion of content to be included as part of the fax message are stored to a shared storage area accessible by multiple imaging systems and multiple fax processing resources. A load score is calculated for each imaging system based on one or more of a processor load and a memory load. An imaging system is selected, based on the load scores, to convert the source files into a digital representation suitable for faxing. The source files are converted by associating the digital representation with an outbound fax job. The fax message is delivered by submitting the outbound fax job to one of the fax modems.

Abstract: A workload balancing technique enhances balancing of workloads processed by components of a telephone communication system configured to render telephony services over a computer network. The telephony services illustratively include private branch exchange (PBX) services suitable for customers with geographically dispersed telephone service demands. The workload balancing technique is invoked by the communication system to reduce contention among the components of the system, such as telephone access servers (TASes) coupled to a proxy router, when servicing telephony requests issued by the customers, thus enabling rendering of the telephony services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. As described herein, an available TAS is randomly selected to service a telephony request received by the proxy router from a network coupled to the communication system.

Abstract: A system controlling use of a communication channel in a communication network. The system comprising a network including service nodes. The service nodes comprising one or more sets having one or more nodes adapted to provide service functions in response to messages in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface for communication with a remote terminal, and a user interface process coupled with the interface to include a user of the remote terminal in the network. At least one of the sets comprising a member node having an interface to the communication network, and a process coupled to the interface to control establishment of the communication channel for the user.