GB2254525A

GB2254525A - Information retrieval using facsimile transmission

Info

Publication number: GB2254525A
Application number: GB9207084A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Gordon Thomson; William Wallace
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-04-03
Filing date: 1992-03-31
Publication date: 1992-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2012-03-31
Also published as: GB2254525B; GB9207084D0

Abstract

A facsimile communication link 14 is set up to a remote information store 18 by an information seeker 10 and the requested information is automatically returned. The communication link 14 may be maintained under the control of the information seeker by off-hook control means, and it may be held open at least until completion of information receipt. The communication link may be cleared upon recognition of an end of signal transmission from the information provider. The information may be provided at premium telephone rates. Information may be requested using a pre-printed machine readable code eg a pre-printed bar code or matrix with squares for completion by the information seeker (32, Fig. 3). Information is returned over the same telephone line as the information request so the users identity is not known. A security code can be required of the information seeker. Authorised users may deposit information in the information store. <IMAGE>

Description

Title:- Information Storage and Retrieval Using Facsimile Transmission Field of the Invention This invention relates to information retrieval using facsimile transmission. The invention makes it possible for an information seeker to request information via a facsimile machine, and for the information to be immediately transmitted from an information store to the same facsimile machine from which the request for the information was made.

Stand alone facsimile machines and facsimile cards for plugging into personal computers to facilitate facsimile reception and transmission of messages and information are well known. It is now commonplace to use facsimile communication (fax) as an easy method of transmitting information between two locations via a telephone line. In this specification the term "facsimile device" will be used to denote either a dedicated facsimile machine, or a facsimile card mounted within or in combination with a personal computer or other signal storage means.

There are a number of applications where a user may wish to request information, and where the information provider may wish to and be able to store that information electronically so that it can be output at will to a person seeking the information.

Background to the Invention US patent No. 4,893,333 describes a system of returning information requested by an information seeker having a facsimile machine with a feature called "Turnaround Polling". The information provider requires a complex machine which uses a complicated decision tree to determine whether the information seekers facsimile machine has Turnaround Polling or not. If the Turnaround Polling function is available then the return transmission of the information must be completed before the telephone system automatically clears down the call after a predetermined timeout period as laid down by CCITT. The US patent also describes a two call arrangement, one call to request the information and the other to deliver it.

Systems are also known where with human intervention a request for information is read by an information provider from a screen and the desired information sent to the seeker. Such similar known systems are described in Japanese Patent Nos. 2-23,769 and 2-230,866.

The present invention avoids the need for human intervention by the information provider and enables the information seeker to control the length of time the telephone link remains open.

Summarv of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a system for the facsimile retrieval of information stored in an information store at an information provider location, said system including a first apparatus at the information provider location including the information store, a facsimile signal receiver, a facsimile signal transmitter, means for coupling the facsimile signal receiver and transmitter to a telecommunication network by way of a control device arranged to recognise a coded incoming facsimile signal from an information seeker requesting specific stored information, and arranged to initiate a facsimile transmission response of said specific information to facsimile apparatus at the location of the information seeker, said facsimile apparatus including means for coupling the apparatus to the telecommunication network and an off-hook control means for maintaining the telecommunication connection to the first apparatus under the control of the information seeker.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for retrieving information, the apparatus comprising an information store and a control device, the control device including communication means for communicating in transmit and receive modes with a remote facsimile device via a telephone line of a telecommunication network, first means for communicating in transmit and receive modes with the information store, and characterised in that second means are provided for reading a signal received from a remote facsimile device, for sending a corresponding command to the information store, for receiving information from the information store and transmitting it to the remote facsimile device and in that third means are provided for maintaining an open telephone line connection from the remote facsimile device to the control device from the initiation of the information request until its receipt by the remote facsimile device.

With this apparatus, it is possible for an information seeker to transmit a request through a facsimile machine, and to have the information sought returned to him via the same facsimile device, all without any human intervention.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of operating a facsimile telecommunication network as a Premium Rate service in which the transmission path established from a first facsimile apparatus to a remote second facsimile apparatus is maintained on line in the off-hook condition after the completion of the transmission from the first facsimile apparatus, said offhook condition being maintained at least until the completion of an information signal received from the second facsimile apparatus.

By maintaining the telephone line in the open line state ensures that the information seeker who makes the original call pays the telecommunication charges in respect of the information with which he is provided. The system may be operated using 'Premium Rate' telephone lines whereby the telephone company charges callers at a higher rate than normal and remits part of the excess to the operator of the telephone lines which are called. This then provides revenue on a usage basis to the information provider.

Although it must be possible for the information seeker to terminate the call at any time, according to the invention the telephone line connection is kept open by the information seeker, for example by keeping a handset connected to the line off the hook until all the information has been received. Alternatively the facsimile device may be modified so that on receipt of an identification signal from the control device, it holds the line open when it finishes transmitting, until all the requested information has been received.

The system may be set up to permit suitably authorised users to deposit information in the system, not just retrieve it.

The authorised users may deposit the information in the electronic information store from a remote location via a facsimile or computer data link, or the information may be keyed in locally. The authorised information providers would be provided with "electronic boxes" in which they could store information. The authorised users could transmit a request slip specifying the reference number and a security code, followed by the information to be stored. The system would validate the security and provide access to the store at the appropriate storage box location and, if required, reflect the stored information back to the sender in the second part of the call so that its safe receipt may be confirmed. Subsequent information seeker users could then retrieve the information.The operator of the system could lease the "electronic boxes" in the information store which the lessees could update at will.

The system could also be used to network other data bases to derive the required information. Alternatively the other sources of information could be periodically polled to update the stored information. For example, the information could contain an "electronic box" for storing stock market prices or the weather map of isobars. Such information could be automatically updated by arranging for the information provider to regularly initiate a fax link from the basic source of information, such as the stock exchange or weather forecast bureau, so that the stored information was overwritten by the latest incoming information.

The system could also be used to market the available information, for example, there could be a form of subscription publishing whereby the information provider charges users to register with his service. Then on a periodic basis or perhaps following significant events of interest to the members, or availability of new information, the system could automatically fax all members with a short note giving a summary of the information and the reference number (or indeed a fax request slip) to be used for subsequent full access at the user's cost in the normal way.

The information request is preferably sent in the form of a machine readable code. This could possibly be in the form of a pre-printed bar code, or in the form of a matrix where the information seeker completes a combination of squares on the grid in accordance with a code number which identifies the information required.

Information providers may issue codes in one form or the other for example in magazines which may be read by potential information seekers.

The invention may be of particular application in the Banking, Insurance and Publishing Industries. It may also be used by any information providers who store information on a computer which may be coupled to a telecommunications network which supports a facsimile service.

By using the invention in conjunction with the Premium Rate service generally available in a telecommunication network the direct invoicing of the information seeker by the information provider is avoided. Additionally the information system provider may contract with a number of information providers to store their information for facsimile retrieval. The system is not limited to information seekers within a single Authority telecommunication network but it may be accessed via other countries networks. The information provider may choose not to charge for the information faxed in which case a normal line fax charge only would be payable by the information seeker according to the time the link was kept open.

Brief Description of the Drawinas The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows, also schematically, an alternative form of apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 shows an example of a request slip which can be used in the apparatus of the invention; and Figure 4 shows an alternative form of request slip.

Specific Description Figure 1 shows a conventional facsimile machine 10 with a document feeder 12. Signals produced in the facsimile machine by scanning the document are transmitted via a telephone line 14 to a selected receiving station which is selected by dialling the desired telephone number and inputting this information to the facsimile machine as required for the particular model of facsimile machine being used.

The signal from the telephone line 14 is received in a control device 16 at the other end of the line. The control device 16 includes circuitry to decode the telephone line signal received, and to produce a digital signal to a data store 18 via a control line 20. This signal will uniquely identify one item of information in the store 18, and on receipt of this signal the store will transmit the item of information back along the control line 20 to the control device 16. In the control device 16, the information will be encoded and transmitted down the telephone line 14 to the remote facsimile machine 10 where the telephone signal will be decoded and printed out in the conventional manner for receiving facsimile messages.

It is important that the telephone line 14 be kept open throughout this sequence of operations. One way in which this can be done is by placing the telephone instrument in the line 14 downstream of the facsimile machine 10. The telephone instrument can then be left off the hook which will prevent any attempt by the facsimile machine to drop the telephone line as soon as transmission from the facsimile machine finishes.

In order to cope with a substantial volume of information requests, the information store can be connected, as shown in Figure 2, to a large number of telephone lines. In Figure 2, sixteen incoming telephone lines 24 are shown, each incoming line being connected to a facsimile card 26 in a personal computer 28. All the personal computers 28 are connected in parallel to the control unit 16 which can be a high performance personal computer, with a large storage device 18 connected to it. In this way the control unit 16 can process several incoming information requests at one time.

Figure 3 shows an example of a request slip which may be completed by an information seeker. The information provider can issue pre-printed forms which could be inserted in or photocopied from for example the pages of a magazine.

In the example shown, the pre-printed form 30 carries a grid 32, and the information seeker would then shade in a selection of squares on this grid in accordance with a given code number denoting the information which he or she is seeking. In the example shown in Figure 3, boxes have been shaded in to indicate the reference number 241534. The remaining part of the card could be used to carry advertising information or instructions for use.

Many other arrangements of the request form are possible.

Another example is a grid where each square represents a different number so that only one mark needs to be made. An example of such a card is shown in Figure 4 where the reference number '43' has been selected.

One advantage of this system of information retrieval, is that the information seeker does not need to identify himself or herself. The information is returned over the same telephone line as the request comes in, and the information end of the storage does not need to know the identity or even the telephone number of the person making the request. The information providers revenue and the system providers revenue would be obtained from the "Premium Rate" telephone service.

The system could also be used for accessing confidential information, for example information about the user's bank account. In this case the number which is dialled by the information seeker could be expanded by the use of a security code, for example the user's four-digit PIN number which would then ensure that access is only given to the owner of the PIN number.

Claims

1. A system for the facsimile retrieval of information stored in an information store at an information provider location, said system including a first apparatus at the information provider location including the information store, a facsimile signal receiver, a facsimile signal transmitter, means for coupling the facsimile signal receiver and transmitter to a telecommunication network by way of a control device arranged to recognise a coded incoming facsimile signal from an information seeker requesting specific stored information, and arranged to initiate a facsimile transmission response of said specific information to facsimile apparatus at the location of the information seeker, said facsimile apparatus including means for coupling the apparatus to the telecommunication network and an off-hook control means for maintaining the telecommunication connection to the first apparatus under the control of the information seeker.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the telecommunication network provides a Premium Rate service and in which the first apparatus has a facsimile access number which enables facsimile apparatus of information seekers to be connected to the first apparatus by way of the Premium Rate service.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the facsimile apparatus at the information seeker location includes a facsimile-received-signal-transmission-completed detection means which is arranged to cancel the off-hook control means and clear down the link.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the information store is arranged to store transmitted information sent by way of the telecommunication network together with a coded signal which actuates an authority recognition means of the first apparatus to provide access to the store for storing the transmitted information.

5. Apparatus for retrieving information, the apparatus comprising an information store and a control device, the control device including communication means for communicating in transmit and receive modes with a remote facsimile device via a telephone line of a telecommunication network, first means for communicating in transmit and receive modes with the information store, and characterised in that second means are provided for reading a signal received from a remote facsimile device, for sending a corresponding command to the information store, for receiving information from the information store and transmitting it to the remote facsimile device and in that third means are provided for maintaining an open telephone line connection form the remote facsimile device to the control device from the initiation of the information request until its receipt by the remote facsimile device.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 in which the signal received from the remote facsimile device is applied to an authority recognition means which controls access of the user to store information in the store.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 in which code response means are provided in the control device arranged to respond to a barcode signal to select specific information from the store.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 in which code response means are provided in the control device arrange to recognise an indication at a specific location on a page selected by the information seeker from a plurality of specific locations.

9. Apparatus for retrieving information from an information store at a remote information provider location, said apparatus comprising a facsimile transmission and reception device and initiating means for initiating a facsimile link via a telecommunications network to the remote information provider location, off-hook signal generating means for maintaining the link after the transmission device has sent an information seeking request facsimile signal to the information provider location, and detection means arranged to clear down the link upon recognition of the end of signal transmission from the information provider location.

10. A method of operating a facsimile telecommunication network as a Premium Rate service in which the transmission path established from a first facsimile apparatus to a remote second facsimile apparatus is maintained on line in the off-hook condition after the completion of the transmission from the first facsimile apparatus, said offhook condition being maintained at least until the completion of an information signal received from the second facsimile apparatus.