Method and instructions for fax mail user interface

A user interface for a fax mail system. The invention is a method and instructions for improving interaction with a fax mail system. The sequence of instructions is improved to allow easier interaction. The system allows the subscriber to print all new fax documents which have been received without reviewing them. In addition, the review menu is organized to allow the subscriber to easily print, erase or skip various fax mail messages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to the field of telephony. More particularly, the 
invention relates to facsimile (fax) mail systems. In still greater 
particularity, the invention relates to a user interface for a fax mail 
system. By way of further characterization, but not by way of limitation 
thereto, the invention relates to prompting a user with instructions to 
access various options in a fax mail system. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Facsimile (fax) communications have become increasingly popular in recent 
years. The increased use of fax machines and the resultant proliferation 
of fax transmissions has even gained the attention of the United States 
Congress in trying to limit "junk" fax documents. While, initially, fax 
machines were cumbersome and expensive, they are now getting more compact 
and portable. Doing business by fax has become increasingly commonplace. 
Sales people can fax orders and a warehouse can, in return, fax invoices. 
In short, what used to take days to accomplish through the U.S. Mail can 
now be accomplished in a matter of minutes by utilizing fax machines. 
The increasing use of fax machines and the proliferation of fax documents 
has led some people to try to manage their fax documents. Thus, some 
method for retaining the fax mail would be useful. Of course, it is 
possible to keep the hard copies of the faxes in a stack and read them 
when it is convenient as is done with regular mail. However, in a mobile 
society and, in particular, in a highly mobile business environment, 
transporting a large number of hard copy faxes while traveling can be 
burdensome and the risk of losing the faxes is increased. It would be 
useful if such faxes could be stored electronically. 
In addition to the problems with storing fax transmissions, it is desirable 
in many cases to allow remote printing of fax documents where and when 
desired. That is, a fax is generally sent to a specific fax machine as 
identified by the fax telephone number. However, it may be that the 
intended recipient is at a different location (e.g. for a meeting or 
traveling out of state). In such a situation the fax received at a first 
location would have to be re-faxed to the second location. This is 
inconvenient and may result in poor quality of the re-faxed document. 
Thus, for individuals who are not at the same location one hundred percent 
(100%) of the time, it would be useful to have a system which would allow 
the printing of the fax transmission at a location other than the primary 
fax location telephone number to which the original fax was sent. 
The use of portable fax machines has helped in sending or receiving fax 
transmissions from remote or unforeseen locations. However, in the past, 
these portable fax machines have only been useful to send a fax. To 
receive fax transmissions the recipient generally must stay at one 
location long enough to receive the transmission and the timing must be 
coordinated with the sender. For example, a traveling business person may 
be waiting for a fax and wish to receive it at an airport during an air 
travel layover. If that person has a portable fax machine and can 
coordinate with the sender to send the fax transmission while the business 
person is on the telephone, this may prove satisfactory. However, if for 
some reason, the sender cannot send the transmission (the sending fax 
machine may be in use) at that exact moment, the recipient must wait on 
the line incurring additional cost (if a long distance call) and wasting 
time. If the fax could be sent to one telephone number (fax mailbox) and 
retrieved at will by the recipient, then time and money would be saved. 
The business person could then retrieve the fax transmission at a time and 
place which is convenient. For example, the business person could get the 
fax transmission from the public phone at the airport during the layover 
at his or her convenience or possibly this traveler may wish to retrieve 
the fax once he or she checks into a hotel room. 
Another problem encountered with increased use of fax machines is 
confidentiality. Specifically, unless a recipient knows exactly when a fax 
transmission will be received, he or she will not be waiting to receive 
it. Thus, for some period of time that faxed document is available for 
anyone to pick up and read. If the recipient had more control over the 
time and place of receipt, confidentiality could be maintained. 
In order to overcome the above limitations, fax mail systems have recently 
been offered which allow the recipient to receive the fax transmissions at 
a preselected telephone number (electronic fax mailbox) and retrieve them 
at will from a different location. One limitation of existing fax mail 
systems has been that many of them are complicated to operate and thus 
many helpful options are not utilized. That is, the recipient interacts 
with the fax mail system through a touchtone phone and, if the interaction 
is difficult, many fax mail subscribers will not be able to interact 
effectively. Users encountering difficulty will either not subscribe to 
the system initially or, if they do subscribe, they will later discontinue 
the service. Thus, it is critical that a fax mail system be easy to 
understand and use in order that a fax recipient utilize all of the 
options available. While being easy to use, the system must also be 
sophisticated to the extent that the fax recipient can obtain all of the 
necessary fax mail information and utilize available customization options 
to make the system useful. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is an interface which utilizes a dual tone multifrequency 
(DTMF) keypad of a touchtone phone or fax machine to interact with a fax 
mail system. The user responds to system voice prompts and enters 
appropriate commands by pressing a key on the DTMF keypad. 
The present invention utilizes a new feature which allows the subscriber, 
upon entering the main menu, to print all new faxes which have been 
received. This feature eliminates the requirement for the subscriber to 
review the fax mail messages which have been received since the subscriber 
last retrieved messages. That is, the subscriber can command the system to 
print all new fax messages, select a print destination, and he or she can 
immediately leave the system. In prior art systems the subscriber must 
interact with the system to determine specifically which fax messages he 
or she wishes to print. This new feature thus saves time and reduces 
telephone charges by reducing the amount of time the subscriber spends on 
the telephone line. In addition, the present invention includes a review 
menu which allows the subscriber to review the fax mail messages 
individually and easily print, erase, skip or back up to a previous menu 
location.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, a DTMF (dual tone multifrequency) telephone keypad is 
shown. The top three rows of keys are numbered one through 9. The lower 
row contains three keys "*", "0" and "#", numbered 11, 12 and 13 
respectively. This DTMF keypad is standard in the telephone industry and 
is what is used by the telephone subscriber to interact with the fax mail 
system described herein. Thus, reference to pressing 1, 5, #, etc will 
refer to the depression by the telephone user of the designated key on the 
DTMF keypad. Throughout the application like reference numerals denote 
like items throughout each of the various figures. 
Both the owner of the mailbox (subscriber or recipient) and those who will 
be sending fax documents to the mailbox owner (contributors or senders) 
will access the service via the same telephone number. Upon being 
connected, a prompt will be played followed by five seconds of silence 
before a fax tone is placed on the line. The subscriber enters the fax 
mailbox by pressing the # key on the DTMF keypad during the period when 
the telephone line is connected to the fax mail system and before a fax 
tone is placed on the line. This action delineates subscriber usage of the 
mailbox from sender usage. Fax documents sent to the mailbox automatically 
will be received as they would by any fax machine. 
This description focuses on the subscriber interface. As shown in FIG. 1, 
the interface medium is a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) keypad of a 
touchtone telephone. The subscriber responds to system voice prompts and 
enters the appropriate commands by pressing the designated key. 
Experienced subscribers can interrupt most prompts by pressing designated 
keys. That is, experienced users can "type ahead" to bypass most prompts 
as a way of speeding up interaction with the service. Users may also enter 
several commands at once (stack commands) to quickly reach a location in 
the interface, bypassing the dialog that a novice user would hear at each 
selection point in the interface. DTMF commands will be recognized by the 
system when a prompt is interrupted. 
There are three global commands which are used consistently during access 
to the system and its options. That is, the function of the "*" key 
indicated as 11 in FIG. 1, the "0" indicated as 12 in FIG. 1 and the "#" 
key indicated as 13 in FIG. 1 never changes. The * key is used to cancel 
commands, return to the previous menu or exit the system. During or 
immediately after a recording or input procedure, * erases the entry and 
yields a re-record or re-enter prompt. Pressing * while listening to the 
prompts of a submenu returns the system to the previous menu. The # key is 
used to inform the platform that the user has completed some action or 
wants to skip ahead. Pressing # after an entry such as a security code or 
greeting signifies that the entry or recording is complete. This key also 
allows the subscriber to skip over a greeting or a voice annotation to a 
fax message. 
The * (11) key is consistently associated with backing up, starting over, 
or quitting in order to allow the user to identify this key with one 
general-type function. The "*" (11) key is optimal for this purpose 
because it is not a numeric key and thus is special to users, because it 
is on the left side of the keypad and thus associated with backing up. The 
"#" (13) is optimal for completion or skip ahead because as with the * key 
it is not a numeric key and is special and because, in the case of the # 
key, it is on the right side of the keypad, generally indicating moving 
forward. 
The system provides th,e subscriber with the capability of receiving fax 
documents in a mailbox for printing at a desired time and place. The 
subscriber will be notified via pager or voice messaging when a fax 
document reaches the mailbox. Fax documents that reach a mailbox are 
considered new. Once retrieved and successfully printed, they are 
reclassified in the mailbox as old fax messages. If left unretrieved by 
the subscriber for more than 14 days, such fax messages are automatically 
deleted. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the fax mail system of the present invention is 
summarized in a flow chart format. Specifically, the system access is 
summarized at 14. The mailbox number is dialed and the # key (13) is 
pressed during the prompt to allow the subscriber to enter the password. 
At that point, main menu 15 is accessed. Main menu 15 allows the 
subscriber to print all new fax messages by pressing 1, to review fax 
messages by pressing 2, to change personal options by pressing 9 and to 
disconnect by pressing the "*" (13) key. 
If the "print all new" fax messages key is pressed in main menu 15, a voice 
prompt indicating the number of new messages is played and the print menu 
16 is played to the subscriber. Specifically, the subscriber is instructed 
to press keys 1, 2, 3 or * (11). By pressing keys 1, 2 or 3 the subscriber 
is able to dictate where the fax is to be printed. If the subscriber 
presses "review fax messages" key 2 in main menu 15, a voice prompt 
indicating the number of new and old messages is played. He or she is then 
forwarded to the retrieve menu 17. Retrieve menu 17 instructs the 
subscriber to press 1 to retrieve new fax messages or to press 2 to 
retrieve old fax messages. If no fax messages are present in the system, 
then these options in retrieve menu 17 will not be voiced. As discussed 
previously, pressing the * key will return the subscriber to the previous 
menu which in this case is the main menu 15. If the subscriber presses the 
new fax messages key 1 or old fax messages key 2, he or she is taken to a 
review menu 18 after hearing the voice note associated with that fax 
message. The voice note consists of the number of pages comprising the fax 
and the date and time received. Review menu 18 instructs the subscriber to 
press key 1 to print the fax message, press key 7 to erase the document, 
press the # (13) key to skip to the next document or to press * (11) to 
return to the previous menu. If any fax messages are selected to "print" 
by pressing 1 in menu 18, then, after all the new or old messages have 
been reviewed, the subscriber is returned to menu 17. At this point the 
prompt "print selected now" is played and, if the subscriber presses 9 to 
print the fax messages that have been selected in menu 18, he or she is 
then routed to the print menu 16 as previously discussed. Until fax 
messages have been selected in menu 18, the "print selected now" prompt is 
not voiced in menu 17. 
If, in main menu 15, the subscriber presses key 9 for personal options, he 
or she is routed to the personal options menu 19. At personal options menu 
19, the subscriber is instructed to press 1 to change the security code, 
to press key 2 to specify a primary fax machine, or to press * (11) to 
return to the previous (main) menu. 
Referring to FIG. 3, the access sequence and instructions for accessing the 
system are illustrated. A subscriber dials the personal fax number at 21 
and receives a greeting at 22 which will instruct that subscriber to press 
the start button on a fax machine if the subscriber desires to send a fax. 
During the playing of this prompt and for five seconds following the end 
of the phrase, the subscriber has the opportunity to press the # (13) key. 
Pressing the # key at 23 in FIG. 3 delineates subscriber usage from sender 
usage. That is, when the subscriber presses the # key, the security code 
prompt is played at 24. If the # key is not pressed the fax tone is given 
at 25. This acts as a security feature to prevent the sender from 
accessing the subscriber portion of the fax mailbox. 
If the caller presses the # key at 23, the subscriber is prompted to enter 
a security code followed by the # key at 24. The security code can be four 
to ten digits long. A default security code for each mailbox will be 
provided with the initial instructions to the subscriber. The subscriber 
is given three attempts to successfully enter the correct security code 
before being dropped from the platform. This is also a security measure to 
prevent hackers from occupying a port on the platform as they enter 
numerous combinations of digits to try to break into a mailbox. Upon being 
disconnected after a third unsuccessful attempt, the user can redial the 
mailbox and attempt another three security (code attempts before being 
dropped again. This sequence is illustrated by the steps in box 26 in FIG. 
3. 
Following successful security code entry in 26, the system checks at step 
27 to determine if any new fax messages have been received. If new 
messages have reached the mailbox, the subscriber will hear a three note 
tone (28) before being routed to main menu 15. If no new messages exist, 
the subscriber is routed directly to main menu 15. 
Referring to FIG. 4 in main menu 15, the subscriber has four options: print 
all new fax messages immediately (press 1); review all fax messages (new 
or old) one at a time before acting upon them (by printing or deleting) 
(press 2); making changes to personal options (press 9); or disconnecting 
from the service (press *). 
If the subscriber selects the "print all new" option from main menu 15 by 
pressing key 1, the subscriber then hears how many new fax messages are 
present in the mailbox and is immediately routed to the all new print 
options menu 16 (FIG. 7). The subscriber can send the new fax messages to 
one of three locations: the fax machine from which the subscriber is 
calling (polling capability); the primary fax machine specified in the 
personal options portion of the interface; or a new fax machine 
destination that is entered (local, long distance or international 
telephone number). These selections are made in print menu 16 by pressing 
keys 1, 2 or 3 as shown. Following the selection of a destination for the 
new fax messages, the subscriber is returned to main menu 15 or in the 
case of polling, is disconnected from the platform once the requested new 
fax documents have been delivered. 
Referring again to FIG. 4, if the subscriber in main menu 15 selects the 
review fax messages option by pressing key 2, then the subscriber hears 
the fax message status for all messages (new or old) in the mailbox and is 
routed to the retrieve menu 17. At retrieve menu 17 the subscriber selects 
the type of fax messages to be reviewed. Selecting a fax message type 
moves the subscriber to the header information for the first fax message 
at 29. That is, the subscriber is given the number of pages and the time 
and date the document was received. After hearing this information the 
subscriber is routed to review menu 18 to allow the subscriber to press 1 
to print the document, press 7 to erase the document, press # to skip to 
the next fax message or press * to back up to retrieve menu 17. 
If, at review menu 18, the subscriber presses 1 to print the fax document, 
that selected fax message is put in queue at 31 and returned to voice note 
29 to indicate the information regarding the next document or, if there 
are no additional documents, returned to retrieve menu 17. If, at review 
menu 18, the subscriber presses 7 to erase the document, then a confirming 
sequence by pressing # to confirm the erasure or * to cancel the erasure 
is played at 32. If the erasure is confirmed, then the fax message is 
erased at 33 and the user is returned to either voice note 29 or retrieve 
menu 17 as previously discussed. If the erasure is cancelled at 34, the 
subscriber is returned to review menu 18. If at review menu 18 the # (13) 
key is pressed, then the fax message is skipped and the user is returned 
to voice note 29 or retrieve menu 17 depending upon whether further fax 
messages exist. If at review menu 18 the user presses the * (11) key, then 
the user is automatically returned to retrieve menu 17. 
New fax messages in retrieve menu 17 refer to those fax documents that have 
reached a mailbox and have not been marked for disbursement. A new fax 
message that is skipped over remains as a new fax message. An old fax 
message in retrieve menu 17 is one that has been printed on a fax machine 
or other fax device. This old fax message will be stored in the mailbox 
for 72 hours before being automatically deleted by the platform. 
Converting new fax documents into old fax documents insures that fax 
documents can be reprinted if needed. Once the retry schedule is exhausted 
the fax messages are returned to the mailbox under their previous 
designation. The storage duration for those fax messages is unaffected. 
After all fax messages of the selected type have been reviewed in the 
sequence previously discussed, the subscriber is directed back to retrieve 
menu 17 where he or she may review other types of fax messages or go 
directly to single print menu 35 (FIG. 7) by pressing the 9 key. As with 
the "print all new" option in main menu 15, once the subscriber has queued 
fax messages and reached the print menu 35, three destination options are 
available: by pressing key 1 the fax machine from which the subscriber is 
calling (polling capability); the primary fax machine specified in the 
personal options portion of the interface by pressing key 2; and, by 
pressing key 3, a new fax machine destination that is entered (area code 
and telephone number). Following the selection of a destination for the 
selected fix messages, the subscriber is returned to the main menu 15 or 
in the case of polling, is prompted to press the start button on the fax 
device and then disconnected from the platform once the requested fax 
documents have been delivered. 
If, in main menu 15, key 9 is pressed for personal options, the user is 
directed to personal options menu 19. Referring to FIG. 5, in personal 
options menu 19, the subscriber is directed to press 1 to change a 
security code, to press 2 to specify a primary fax machine or to press * 
to return to main menu 15. As previously discussed, when a subscriber 
initially subscribes to the system, a security code and primary fax 
machine number are already entered into the system. The subscriber can 
make changes to each as often as desired. To specify a primary fax 
machine, a short explanation regarding the function is provided to the 
subscriber before proceeding to a point where the subscriber may make 
changes if desired. However, since the purpose in changing a personal 
security code from time to time is apparent to most subscribers no 
explanation precedes the point in the interface where changes to the 
security code can be made. If the subscriber presses 1 in personal options 
menu 19 to change the security code, he or she is instructed at 36 to 
enter a new security code. The subscriber then re-enters the security code 
to confirm it, which if successful, or unsuccessful, will return the 
subscriber to the personal options menu. Thus, the subscriber, if 
unsuccessful, can again attempt to change the security code. If, in 
personal options menu 19, the subscriber presses 2 to specify a primary 
fax machine, he or she is given a message at 37 to explain the need for a 
primary fax machine and to identify what the current primary fax machine 
telephone number is. At 38, the subscriber is instructed to press # if the 
primary fax machine number is correct and if the subscriber desires to 
maintain that primary fax machine number. If the subscriber desires to 
change the primary fax machine number, he or she is instructed to enter 
the new telephone number followed by pressing the # (13) key. If the 
subscriber presses the # key to indicate that the number is correct, he is 
returned to the personal options menu 19. If the primary fax machine 
number is changed, the newly-entered number is played back at 39 and a 
subscriber is again instructed to press # if it is correct which returns 
he or she to the personal options menu 19 or to press * to cancel if the 
number is incorrect at which time the subscriber will be returned to 
personal options menu 19. 
Referring to FIG. 6, print menu 16 and the sequence to print the fax 
documents is shown. That is, if the subscriber presses the print all new 
instruction (key 1) in main menu 15, he or she is directed to the print 
menu 16. Print menu 16 includes instructions to press 1 to print on the 
line from which the caller is calling, press key 2 to designate a primary 
fax machine, or press key 3 to designate a new destination. As with the 
other menus, instructions to press * will return the user to the previous 
menu which in this case would be main menu 15. If the subscriber pressed 
key 2 in print menu 16, the document or documents are printed on a primary 
fax machine as is shown at 41. Thus, in the case of tie "print all new" 
instruction in main menu 15, all the new documents will be printed on a 
primary fax machine and the user is returned to main menu 15. If the 
subscriber presses key 3 for new destination in print menu 16, he or she 
is directed to enter the area code and telephone number for the 
destination to which the fax should be sent, followed by the # key. This 
is indicated at 42. After pressing the pound key, the system will play 
back the area code and telephone number to which the fax is to be sent at 
43. The user will then confirm this number by pressing # or cancel the 
number by pressing * at 44. If the # key (13) is pressed at 44 to confirm 
the telephone number, then, at 45, the fax documents are sent to the fax 
machine which has been specified. The user is then returned to main menu 
15. If the cancel key (11) has been pressed at 44, then the subscriber is 
returned to print menu 16. 
If the subscriber presses the 1 key in print menu 16 to receive the fax 
message or messages on the line them in use, then the subscriber is 
instructed to press the start button on the fax machine at 46 and the 
subscriber will be disconnected at 47 following the fax transmission. If, 
at any time in the print cycle, there is a system failure as indicated at 
48 in FIG. 6, the subscriber will be notified of the system failure and 
disconnected from the system. 
The print sequence has been described with respect to "all new" print menu 
16 in FIG. 6. Referring to FIG. 7, single print menu 35 functions 
identically to print menu 16. Thus, the instructions and functions in FIG. 
7 are numbered identically to those of FIG. 6. The only difference in FIG. 
7 is that menu 35 is accessed from retrieve menu 17 in FIG. 4 by pressing 
key 9 in menu 17 for "print selected now." If the * key is pressed in menu 
35, the subscriber is returned to retrieve menu 17 and not main menu 15 as 
in FIG. 6. However, after the selected documents have been printed at 41 
or 45, the subscriber is returned to main menu 15 as with FIG. 6. 
As is known in the art, the fax mail system of this invention may be 
implemented by computer software programming in a suitable platform 
environment. Although only specific exemplary embodiments of this 
invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will 
appreciate that many variations and/or modifications may be made in these 
exemplary embodiments without in any way departing from the novel and 
advantageous features of this invention. For example, while specific words 
have been used for various instructions and prompts, it is contemplated 
that different words conveying the same information could be used. 
Accordingly, all such variations and modifications are intended to be 
included within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended 
claims.