AudioFAX Overview Patented Technology

Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 7,202,978
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 4,994,926
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 4,994,926 C2
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 4,994,926 - Reexam
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 5,291,302
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 5,459,584
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 6,643,034
Adobe Acrobat U.S. Patent No. 6,785,021
Adobe Acrobat Canadian Patent No. 1,329,852
Adobe Acrobat Canadian Patent No. 2,101,327
The AudioFAX Patents have been the center of an active Patent Licensing Program since 1997 in the telecommunications industry. With over 400 claims, the AudioFAX Patents have been validated by the USPTO through two separate reexamination proceedings and consist of the following five U.S. patents and two Canadian patents.

AudioFAX's patented technology includes claims on the following enhanced fax services, among others:

  • Fax Mailbox
  • Fax on Demand
  • Fax Broadcast
  • Overflow Fax (Never Busy Fax)
  • Store and Forward

The AudioFAX patents include both system and method claims covering enhanced facsimile technology utilizing a fax store and forward system, such as:

  • Storing of faxes in user accounts or "mailboxes" and allowing users to retrieve these stored messages by forwarding the messages to any fax machine or paperless fax device (i.e. personal computer or TV) at any location.
  • Secure or confidential fax transmissions provided through the use of PIN numbers.
  • If the receiving fax is busy, out of paper or otherwise unable to receive an incoming fax, the fax document is saved and the system makes periodic attempts to complete the transmission.
  • Allows a user to scroll through messages, select desired messages from a queue of messages and retrieve only the selected messages.
  • The transmission of fax documents from "paperless" devices, such as personal computers, to destination fax devices through geographically dispersed fax store and forward systems over a data network, including such networks as the Internet.
  • Allows a user to receive fax documents (both public documents and personal) stored in a fax store and forward system to paperless devices, such as personal computers or TVs.
  • Initiating broadcast instructions from a paperless device to a store and forward system.
  • Using personal computers (paperless device) to interface to a fax store and forward system for administration of broadcast lists.
  • Provides detailed use reports of broadcast transaction data including confirmation reports, and if in the case of the fax being undeliverable, the reason.
  • Allows a receiver to provide an immediate reply to the sender based on a reply service menu.
  • Provides for the conversion of a fax message into a voice mail message and direct the message to a voice mailbox.
  • Permits the "spooling" of fax messages from a receiving fax device while at the same time communicating with a destination device and transmitting the fax in "real-time".