Patent ID: 6157706
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A system that enables a facsimile machine to behave like an e-mail client, comprising:a portion that accepts input from a first user specifying an e-mail address of a second user;a portion that automatically stores the e-mail address of the second user in an address book data structure assigned to only the first user in a memory;a portion that associates an internet fax number with the stored e-mail address of the second user in memory; anda receiving portion that receives a fax from the facsimile machine of the first user that has been sent to the internet fax number associated with the e-mail address of the second user;a selection portion for selecting from a set of at least one address book data structure the address book data structure assigned to only the first user that includes the internet fax number associated with the stored e-mail address of the second user; anda sending portion for sending the contents of the fax to the e-mail address of the second user stored in the selected address book data structure.