Patent ID: 6052445
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A fax director for directing a fax to a desired recipient identified by recipient-identifying information over the Internet to the recipient's Internet address or, if the Internet address is not known, over the public telephone system to the recipient's fax number, comprising:a) an electronically-stored table containing recipient-identifying information identifying certain potential fax recipients and an Internet address corresponding to each; andb) a processor configured toi) communicate with said table:ii) receive the recipient-identifying information for the desired recipient;iii) determine whether said table contains an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information;iv) if said table contains an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information, direct that the fax be sent to the recipient over the Internet to the corresponding Internet address; andv) if said table does not contain an Internet address corresponding to the received recipient-identifying information, direct that the fax be sent to the recipient over the public telephone system using the fax number of the desired recipient.