Systems and methods for generating and communicating enhanced portable document format files
A method for converting a facsimile includes receiving the facsimile via the public-switched telephone network, generating an enhanced portable document format (EPDF) file that includes information in addition to image information and communicating the EPDF file to an e-mail server. The EPDF file can then be communicated as an attachment to an e-mail message addressed to the intended recipient of the facsimile. A facsimile processing system includes a public-switched telephone network interface, a packet-switched network interface, a mail transfer protocol server, an input agent, a job processor and a translator. The input agent identifies and forwards the incoming facsimile to the job processor. The job processor determines when an EPDF file is desired and communicates appropriate instructions to the translator. The translator generates the EPDF file in response to the instructions and the image information from the facsimile. The translator integrates signatures and repositionable notes in outbound facsimiles.
1. A method of outbound fax message processing, the method comprising:
receiving, by a fax server computer over a data network, contents of a document through a packet-switched network interface of the fax server computer;
generating, by the fax server computer, an enhanced portable document format (EPDF) file that includes the contents of the document and at least one of a representation of a signature or a representation of a repositionable paper note;
converting, by the fax server computer, the EPDF file into image information in a facsimile format; and
communicating, by the fax server computer over a public-switched telephone network (PSTN), the image information in the facsimile format to a destination facsimile device through a PSTN interface of the fax server computer.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the packet-switched network interface of the fax server computer is communicatively connected to an email server and wherein the document is received from an email client of the email server.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a user associated with the document, wherein the EPDF file is generated in accordance with a profile of the user.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving further comprises:
receiving, by the fax server computer, an e-mail message attaching the document.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the generating further comprises:
converting, by the fax server computer, an e-mail message containing the document to the EPDF file.
6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
identifying a sender of the e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message is converted to the EPDF file in accordance with a profile of the sender.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a recipient of the image information in the facsimile format, wherein the image information in the facsimile format when received and decoded by the recipient includes the signature at a location designated by a sender of the document.
8. A system for outbound fax message processing, the system comprising:
a packet-switched network interface;
a public-switched telephone network (PSTN) interface;
a processor;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
stored instructions translatable by the processor for:
receiving, over a data network, contents of a document through the packet-switched network interface;
generating an enhanced portable document format (EPDF) file that includes the contents of the document and at least one of a representation of a signature or a representation of a repositionable paper note;
converting the EPDF file into image information in a facsimile format; and
communicating, over the PSTN, the image information in the facsimile format to a destination facsimile device through the PSTN interface.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the packet-switched network interface is communicatively connected to an email server and wherein the document is received from an email client of the email server.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
identifying a user associated with the document, wherein the EPDF file is generated in accordance with a profile of the user.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the receiving further comprises:
receiving an e-mail message attaching the document.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generating further comprises:
converting an e-mail message containing the document to the EPDF file.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
identifying a sender of the e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message is converted to the EPDF file in accordance with a profile of the sender.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stored instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
identifying a recipient of the image information in the facsimile format, wherein the image information in the facsimile format when received and decoded by the recipient includes the signature at a location designated by a sender of the document.
15. A computer program product for outbound fax message processing, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions translatable by a fax server computer having a processor, a packet-switched network interface, and a public-switched telephone network (PSTN) interface, the instructions when translated by the processor perform:
receiving, over a data network, contents of a document through the packet-switched network interface;
generating an enhanced portable document format (EPDF) file that includes the contents of the document and at least one of a representation of a signature or a representation of a repositionable paper note;
converting the EPDF file into image information in a facsimile format; and
communicating, over the PSTN, the image information in the facsimile format to a destination facsimile device through the PSTN interface.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the packet-switched network interface is communicatively connected to an email server and wherein the document is received from an email client of the email server.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
identifying a user associated with the document, wherein the EPDF file is generated in accordance with a profile of the user.
18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the receiving further comprises:
receiving an e-mail message attaching the document, wherein the generating further comprises converting the e-mail message containing the document to the EPDF file.
19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
identifying a sender of the e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message is converted to the EPDF file in accordance with a profile of the sender.
20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
identifying a recipient of the image information in the facsimile format, wherein the image information in the facsimile format when received and decoded by the recipient includes the signature at a location designated by a sender of the document.