Abstract: An electronic mail system connected to a network includes a section for converting an image of a document surface into corresponding document image data, and a section for compressing the document image data into compression-resultant image data. The electronic mail system also includes a section for converting the compression-resultant image data into corresponding image data of a given electronic-mail format, a section for receiving information of an electronic-mail destination address, and a section for transmitting the image data of the electronic-mail format toward the electronic-mail destination address via the network.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and an article of manufacture for providing cascade distribution of electronic mail comprising creating an electronic mail message having a flag to identify the electronic mail message as a cascade-type electronic mail message or a cascade forward-type electronic mail message; and forwarding a received cascade-type electronic mail message or a received cascade forward-type electronic mail message. As such, a retraction can be sent with respect to a previously sent electronic mail message, and the retraction will be cascaded to all recipients of previous message as well as to all the recipients of forwarded versions of the previous message.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus transmits facsimile data converted from e-mail data to a facsimile destination via a public communication network. A receiver receives the e-mail data from a requesting node. A memory stores a password and a domain name of a requesting node. An acquiring section acquires a destination address including at least a telephone number, a password and a domain name, from the requesting node. A converter converts the e-mail data into facsimile data. A comparator compares the password and the domain name acquired by the acquiring section, with the password and the domain name stored in the memory, respectively. A facsimile transmitter transmits the converted facsimile data to the facsimile destination designated by the telephone number when a result of the comparison indicates that the password and the domain name acquired are the same as the password and the domain name stored in said memory.

Abstract: An image-attached mail transiting apparatus has a mail receiving portion for receiving an image-attached mail transmitted from a transmitting terminal that transmits the image-attached mail to which an image picked up by an installed miniature camera is attached, a mail control portion for extracting an attached image from the image-attached mail, then instructing an image processing portion how to process the attached image, and then substituting a processed image for the original attached image of the image-attached mail, an image processing portion for performing the process indicated by the mail control portion to the image, and a mail transmitting portion for transmitting the image-attached mail to the receiving terminal, whereby the mail control portion discriminates a type of the transmitting terminal, and the image processing portion performs image processing according to the type.

Abstract: A method for transmitting facsimile data between facsimile apparatuses each connected to a relay apparatus, and relay apparatuses being connected each other through an internet protocol network, includes steps of: performing an address conversion from a telephone number of a facsimile apparatus of the reception side to an IP address corresponding to the telephone number; transmitting a request for TCP connection to a relay apparatus corresponding to a destination of the IP address when receiving an identifying signal which indicates transmission of the facsimile data from the facsimile apparatus of the sending side; and transmitting the facsimile data to the relay apparatus corresponding to the destination of the IP address based on the TCP connection.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for remote receipt of a message, such as a telephone, e-mail, facsimile or paper message. A server or data center is provided for receiving messages from a sender communicating with a recipient mobile device. The data center sends the message to the mobile device. If the recipient desires to receive the message, he/she indicates this on his/her mobile device. The mobile device and the device which will receive the message, i.e., the destination device, are spontaneously networked such that the mobile device communicates the information to the destination device without requirement of ensuring the compatibility of programs or networks. Prior to transmission, the mobile device determines if any translation or transcoding of the original message is required in order for the destination device to receive the message in proper format. Once transcoding or translation is effected, the message is routed to the destination device for output.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for integrating electronic mail, voice mail, and fax mail in a universal mailbox. Message receivers may access their messages with a telephone or a computer regardless of the communication medium used by the message sender. Using a telephone, message receivers may playback voice mail, redirect fax mail, and “listen” to e-mail through a text-to-speech conversion process. Using a computer and modem, message receivers may playback voice mail, view fax mail, and read e-mail by accessing the universal mailbox via connection software. Message senders and receivers may choose from a variety of filter and forward options that allow them to manage their communications via the universal mailbox. Forwarding and conversion of messages is performed automatically. The options are used to define a set of rules to be applied to inbound and outbound messages so that messages are sent and received in accordance with the preferences of the senders and receivers.

Abstract: An electronic-mail reception apparatus has a body and includes a facsimile receiver that negotiates with a sender before receiving image data, to receive image data in facsimile format from the sender via a telephone network. An electronic-mail receiver receives image data in an electronic mail format and character code data in the electronic mail format from a mail sender via a communication network. A converter converts the image data in the electronic mail format into image data in the facsimile format, a font section converts the character code data received by the electronic-mail receiver into image data, and an output section outputs the image data converted by the converter and the image data converted by the font section. The facsimile receiver, the electronic-mail receiver, the converter, the font section and the output section are integrated in the body of the apparatus.

Abstract: A system and method for transcoding a document to be transmitted to a mobile station according to document display capabilities thereof and a wireless infrastructure containing the same. The system includes: (1) a station identifying circuit that receives data indicating a particular mobile station's document display capabilities and (2) a transcoding circuit that modifies the document according to the document display capabilities before the document is transmitted to the particular mobile station, the particular mobile station thereby freed of having locally to substantially modify the document according to the document display capabilities.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing captioned telephone service is provided which permits persons who are hard of hearing to receive captioning of their telephone communications as they need it. A personal interpreter/captioned telephone device can dial a relay on a second telephone line while the assisted user if conversing with a hearing user over a first telephone line. The second telephone line connects to a relay which provides voice to text translation service and returns a text stream to the captioned telephone device.

Abstract: A relay is described to facilitate communication through the telephone system between hearing users and users who need or desire assistance in understanding voice communications. To overcome the speed limitations inherent in typing, the call assistant at the relay does not type most words but, instead, re-voices the words spoken by the hearing user into a computer operating a voice recognition software package trained to the voice of that call assistant. The text stream created by the computer and the voice of the hearing user are both sent to the assisted user so that the assisted user can be supplied with a visual text stream to supplement the voice communications. A time delay in the transmission of the voice of the hearing user through the relay is of assistance to the assisted user in comprehending the communications session.

Abstract: A facsimile device includes a device capable of transferring and receiving a message in a user-to-user signaling manner and an S-type interface card which is connected to an integrated service digital network (ISDN). According to the present invention, the facsimile device transfers and receives messages through a D channel to be used for transferring signals in the user-to-user signaling manner even though the facsimile device communicates with another facsimile device through B channels of the ISDN to transfer and receive data. Accordingly, channels provided to the facsimile device can be efficiently used.

Abstract: In one embodiment according to the invention, a telephonic apparatus includes an interface to a network, a memory adapted to store a telephone number, a text-to-speech module adapted to produce audible signals associated with the stored telephone number, a processor, and a local input unit. The local input unit is adapted to produce an input signal in response to user activation, and the processor is adapted to respond to the input signal by retrieving the stored telephone number from the memory and causing the text-to-speech module to produce the audible signals for transmission to the network via the interface. In an alternative embodiment according to the invention, a method of transmitting Caller ID data to a distant party includes the steps of receiving a local input command, retrieving stored Caller ID data in response to the local input command, producing audible signals based on the retrieved Caller ID data, and transmitting the audible signals to the distant party.

Abstract: A telephone subscriber unit (22) includes a caller identification device (120), a memory unit (114), a pre-processor (124) and a text-to-speech synthesizer (TTS) (110). The caller identification device (120) receives caller ID information of a calling party in a first textual format and stores the caller ID information in the memory unit (114) The pre-processor (124) converts textual caller ID information from the first data format to a second data format suitable for text-to-speech synthesis by the text-to-speech synthesizer (110). The text-to-speech synthesizer (110) generates audible caller ID information responsive to receiving the textual caller information.

Abstract: Communication systems and methods are provided for selecting a channel for transmission of a facsimile utilizing a wireless communication network which has two different channel types available for wireless communications. In particular, systems and methods are provided which preferentially request one of the service types for a transmission of a facsimile but further provides for use of the alternate service type under conditions where a suitable channel is not available for the preferred facsimile support channel. More particularly, in one embodiment, when digital transmission services are not available, but analog services are available, facsimile transmission is provided over the analog channel rather than denying access to the wireless communication network for transmission of the facsimile.

Abstract: A subscriber, using a voice telephone set (12) may transmit a facsimile message to a recipient facsimile machine (14) by dialing a telephone number associated with a platform (22) in a telephone network (20) that provides outbound voice-to-facsimile service. Upon receipt of the call, the platform (22) prompts the caller for the message and the identity of the recipient facsimile machine (14). The platform (22) translates the message into a format appropriate for facsimile transmission and then launches a call to the recipient facsimile machine (14) to deliver the facsimile.

Abstract: A system is disclosed which enables a multitude of dissimilar end-system devices, appliances, and platforms to interchange image information. The inventive method utilizes a directory database of end-user profiles, a session manager, a conversion manager, individual conversation processors, a queuing database, and a store-and-forward file-folder database. The system accommodates pre-subscribed end-users as well as non-subscription users. The system handles both real-time and store-and-forward communications modes. The present invention may be practiced as either a one-node or a multi-node distributed architecture, scalable as required, and may be either network-based or premises-based, or a hybrid combination of these. Communications transport both into and out of the node(s) can range from voiceband telephone on analog circuits to high speed channel or fact-packet protocol communications modes.

Abstract: A communication terminal device of the present invention is provided with both facsimile communication function and electronic mail transmission/reception function. At the transmission side, scanned image data is coded by MH, MR method and the like, converted to text data, then edited according to electronic mail format for transmitting it as an electronic mail to computer network like internet. The transmission side also transmits by facsimile (by a circuit switching method) a transmission notification indicating transmission of the electronic mail and a signal indicating reception of the electronic mail. After receiving the signal requesting reception of the electronic mail, the receiving side receives the electronic mail from the computer network, converts it into image data and prints the image data out by facsimile.

Abstract: The communication device provides the capability to automatically convert between voice and text messages. This communication device enables the calling party to input a message in voice mode, then activate the communication device to automatically convert the message into a text message format for transmission to the called party. The communication device can display the content of the text message prior to transmission or can retrieve the message from its memory and play the message back to the calling party in an audio mode. The communication device automatically initiates the outgoing call and, since the message is transmitted in a text mode to the called party, the destination can be a computer system or output to a printer. This feature therefore enables hands free operation for E-Mail.

Abstract: In a messaging system of the type that receives a voice and/or fax message intended for a subscriber, an electronic mail message notifying the subscriber of the received message is composed in a language selected by the subscriber and then sent to one or more subscriber supplied electronic mail addresses. The subscriber can select to receive such notification messages in any one of a plurality of different languages that are available on the system. Different subscribers can select different ones of the available languages.

Abstract: An electronic mail converting apparatus for facsimile that includes connections connecting to a facsimile, a public network, and a LAN. The connections may be internally changed according to the type of data or an instruction received. A converting device exists for converting data to e-mail data or vice versa, as required, wherein the converted data is transmitted to an instructed designation.