Title of Invention	METHOD OF SECURELY SENDING A FACSIMILE USING A MULTI-FUNCTION PERIPHERAL
Abstract	The present invention describes the method of secure send fax to pre-configured numbers. The administrator has the option to turn ON/OFF this features in the MFP. When this feature is enabled the administrator will get an e-mail of the entire document to be faxed from the MFP if that document is identified as confidential by the MFP. Based on the reply from the administrator the MFP either sends the fax or skips the fax job.

Title of Invention

METHOD OF SECURELY SENDING A FACSIMILE USING A MULTI-FUNCTION PERIPHERAL

Abstract

The present invention describes the method of secure send fax to pre-configured numbers. The administrator has the option to turn ON/OFF this features in the MFP. When this feature is enabled the administrator will get an e-mail of the entire document to be faxed from the MFP if that document is identified as confidential by the MFP. Based on the reply from the administrator the MFP either sends the fax or skips the fax job.

Full Text	FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention in general relates to the Multifunction Peripheral (MFP) devices. Particularly the present invention relates to the field of facsimile sending security More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of sending secured fax. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED PRIOR ART In the conventional method any person can fax a document and it can be received and printed out at the destination. There is one basic flaw behind this conventional method that the machine is not checking whether the document which user is going to send should be sent by the machine or not. A Japanese patent 2005149221 describes if user information is authenticated, an electronic mail address associated with the authenticated user information is acquired from the authentication apparatus. This makes it possible to prevent relaying of malicious electronic mails e.g. using false electronic mail addresses. In the above mentioned patent publication the user is not allowed to send malicious electronic mails. This is done by authentication received from the mail server. The electronic mail id, the user name and password of the user is obtained by the MFP and it compares this with the mail server and only if the mail server authenticates the user he will be allowed to transmit the data. With the existing method any person who has a valid E-mail address is allowed to send the data even if it seems confidential for the administrator. However, the existing art does not explicitly mention the method in which the unauthorized persons can be prevented from sending a confidential fax from the MFP. It also does not give the control to the administrator, so that he can allow the MFP to send only the genuine documents thereby securing his confidential documents from being used/sent by any unauthorized person. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The current invention is aimed at solving the above said drawbacks. The invention describes how the confidential document can be sent as a fax to the destination by means of a secure procedure. In the present invention the administrator who wants to maintain confidentiality has a secure option that can be turned on/off through printer web page in case of a printer or through the menu option in the case of MFP. Once the secure option is enabled (turned ON) the documents to be faxed will be sent as an e-mail to the administrator. The administrator has to configure his e-mail address, which is used to get the FAX documents as an e-mail. The MFP is also configured with some predefined keywords such as confidential, secret, etc. When the MFP gets a document to be faxed it checks the document, the MFP will search for the configured keywords in the Document Header and footer, if it finds any of the pre-defined keywords in the document then it will send the whole document including the Sender Name, Recipient Name and Recipient Fax number as an E-mail to the Administrator's email address. When the Administrator receives the e-mail and if he finds the document as genuine that can be sent outside then he will send a reply (YES or NO) to the MFP which in turn will further process the requested FAX job (if reply is YES) or skips it (if reply is NO) depending upon the reply. Accordingly the invention explains a method of sending secured fax using an MFP comprising the steps of: enabling the feature for sending secured fax in the MFP ; configuring the MFP with keywords to detect an unsecured fax; configuring the MFP with the contact information of a recipient to which the fax document and transaction details have to be send in case of an unsecured fax detection; forwarding the fax document and the transaction details to the recipient if an unsecured fax is detected; and making decision to allow or disallow the transaction of the fax by the recipient. Enabling the feature for sending secured fax further comprising the step of turning on/off the feature of sending secured fax through a web page. An unsecured fax is detected by searching the fax document for matching pre-configured keywords. The transaction details include sender identification details and contact information and receiver identification details and contact information. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a flow chart, which depicts securely sending fax to pre-configured numbers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. By this present invention the administrator can secure the fax sending process. For this the Multi Functional Peripheral (MFP) is provided with a menu option named Secure Send. The Administrator has the option to turn on/off this feature. In case of a printer the secure send option can be enabled through the printer webpage. If the secure send option is enabled then the administrator has to configure his e-mail address, which is used to get the FAX documents as an e-mail. Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the present invention in detail. When the MFP gets a document to be faxed; if the SECURE SEND option is enabled in the MFP by the administrator, then the MFP checks the document for the configured pre¬defined keywords. If the MFP finds any one of the pre-defined keywords in the document then the MFP sends the whole document including sender's name, recipient name, recipient fax number as an e-mail to the pre-configured administrator's e-mail address. The administrator on receiving the e-mail will check the details in the document like sender name, recipient name, and recipient fax number. If the administrator finds the document as a genuine one that can be sent outside then he replies with "YES" to the MFP. MFP on receiving this reply will start sending the Fax. If the administrator doesn't want that document to be sent outside then he will reply with "NO" to the MFP. The MFP on receiving this reply will stop sending the Fax and either pops up a message or prints an error report. 2 The MFP on getting the document to be faxed from the user with the SECURE SEND option being enabled, if it doesn't find any pre-defined keywords in the document to be faxed then it will treat the document as a normal document and performs the requested fax job without sending that document as an e-mail to the administrator. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other control methods and apparatuses can be derived from the combinations of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention as taught by the description and the accompanying drawings and these shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention. Further, description of such combinations and variations is therefore omitted above. It should also be noted that the host for storing the applications include but not limited to a microchip, microprocessor, handheld communication device, computer, rendering device or a multi function device. Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from. We Claim, 1. A method of sending secured fax using an MFP comprising the steps of: enabling a feature for sending secured fax in the MFP configuring the MFP with keywords to detect an unsecured fax; configuring the MFP with the contact information of a recipient to which the fax document and transaction details have to be sent in case of an unsecured fax detection; forwarding the fax document and the transaction details to the recipient if an unsecured fax is detected; and making decision to allow or disallow the transaction of the fax by the recipient. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein enabling the feature for sending secured fax further comprising the step of turning on/off the feature of sending secured fax through a web page. 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an unsecured fax is detected by searching the fax document for matching pre-configured keywords. 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transaction details include sender identification details and contact information and receiver identification details and contact information. 5. A method of sending secured fax using an MFP substantially described particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in general relates to the Multifunction Peripheral (MFP) devices. Particularly the present invention relates to the field of facsimile sending security More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of sending secured fax.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED PRIOR ART
In the conventional method any person can fax a document and it can be received and printed out at the destination. There is one basic flaw behind this conventional method that the machine is not checking whether the document which user is going to send should be sent by the machine or not.
A Japanese patent 2005149221 describes if user information is authenticated, an electronic mail address associated with the authenticated user information is acquired from the authentication apparatus. This makes it possible to prevent relaying of malicious electronic mails e.g. using false electronic mail addresses. In the above mentioned patent publication the user is not allowed to send malicious electronic mails. This is done by authentication received from the mail server. The electronic mail id, the user name and password of the user is obtained by the MFP and it compares this with the mail server and only if the mail server authenticates the user he will be allowed to transmit the data.

With the existing method any person who has a valid E-mail address is allowed to send the data even if it seems confidential for the administrator.
However, the existing art does not explicitly mention the method in which the unauthorized persons can be prevented from sending a confidential fax from the MFP. It also does not give the control to the administrator, so that he can allow the MFP to send only the genuine documents thereby securing his confidential documents from being used/sent by any unauthorized person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The current invention is aimed at solving the above said drawbacks. The invention describes how the confidential document can be sent as a fax to the destination by means of a secure procedure. In the present invention the administrator who wants to maintain confidentiality has a secure option that can be turned on/off through printer web page in case of a printer or through the menu option in the case of MFP. Once the secure option is enabled (turned ON) the documents to be faxed will be sent as an e-mail to the administrator. The administrator has to configure his e-mail address, which is used to get the FAX documents as an e-mail. The MFP is also configured with some predefined keywords such as confidential, secret, etc.
When the MFP gets a document to be faxed it checks the document, the MFP will search for the configured keywords in the Document Header and footer, if it

finds any of the pre-defined keywords in the document then it will send the whole document including the Sender Name, Recipient Name and Recipient Fax number as an E-mail to the Administrator's email address. When the Administrator receives the e-mail and if he finds the document as genuine that can be sent outside then he will send a reply (YES or NO) to the MFP which in turn will further process the requested FAX job (if reply is YES) or skips it (if reply is NO) depending upon the reply.
Accordingly the invention explains a method of sending secured fax using an MFP comprising the steps of:
enabling the feature for sending secured fax in the MFP ;
configuring the MFP with keywords to detect an unsecured fax;
configuring the MFP with the contact information of a recipient to which the fax document and transaction details have to be send in case of an unsecured fax detection;
forwarding the fax document and the transaction details to the recipient if an unsecured fax is detected; and
making decision to allow or disallow the transaction of the fax by the recipient.

Enabling the feature for sending secured fax further comprising the step of turning on/off the feature of sending secured fax through a web page. An unsecured fax is detected by searching the fax document for matching pre-configured keywords. The transaction details include sender identification details and contact information and receiver identification details and contact information.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a flow chart, which depicts securely sending fax to pre-configured numbers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described

to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.
By this present invention the administrator can secure the fax sending process. For this the Multi Functional Peripheral (MFP) is provided with a menu option named Secure Send. The Administrator has the option to turn on/off this feature. In case of a printer the secure send option can be enabled through the printer webpage. If the secure send option is enabled then the administrator has to configure his e-mail address, which is used to get the FAX documents as an e-mail.
Figure 1 is a flowchart showing the present invention in detail. When the MFP gets a document to be faxed; if the SECURE SEND option is enabled in the MFP by the administrator, then the MFP checks the document for the configured pre¬defined keywords. If the MFP finds any one of the pre-defined keywords in the document then the MFP sends the whole document including sender's name, recipient name, recipient fax number as an e-mail to the pre-configured administrator's e-mail address.
The administrator on receiving the e-mail will check the details in the document like sender name, recipient name, and recipient fax number. If the administrator

finds the document as a genuine one that can be sent outside then he replies with "YES" to the MFP. MFP on receiving this reply will start sending the Fax. If the administrator doesn't want that document to be sent outside then he will reply with "NO" to the MFP. The MFP on receiving this reply will stop sending the Fax and either pops up a message or prints an error report.
2
The MFP on getting the document to be faxed from the user with the SECURE SEND option being enabled, if it doesn't find any pre-defined keywords in the document to be faxed then it will treat the document as a normal document and performs the requested fax job without sending that document as an e-mail to the administrator.
It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other control methods and apparatuses can be derived from the combinations of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention as taught by the description and the accompanying drawings and these shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention. Further, description of such combinations and variations is therefore omitted above. It should also be noted that the host for storing the applications include but not limited to a microchip, microprocessor, handheld communication device, computer, rendering device or a multi function device.
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are

apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from.

We Claim,
1. A method of sending secured fax using an MFP comprising the steps of:
enabling a feature for sending secured fax in the MFP
configuring the MFP with keywords to detect an unsecured fax;
configuring the MFP with the contact information of a recipient to which the fax document and transaction details have to be sent in case of an unsecured fax detection;
forwarding the fax document and the transaction details to the recipient if an unsecured fax is detected; and
making decision to allow or disallow the transaction of the fax by the recipient.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein enabling the feature for sending secured fax further comprising the step of turning on/off the feature of sending secured fax through a web page.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an unsecured fax is detected by searching the fax document for matching pre-configured keywords.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transaction details include sender identification details and contact information and receiver identification details and contact information.
5. A method of sending secured fax using an MFP substantially described particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

2345-CHE-2007 FORM-1 27-02-2014.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 FORM-13 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 FORM-5 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 AMENDED CLAIMS 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 FORM-1 13-08-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 27-02-2014.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 27-02-2014.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 30-12-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 31-12-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 FORM-13 12-12-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 27-02-2014.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 30-12-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 31-12-2013.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 OTHERS 27-02-2014.pdf

2345-che-2007 abstract.pdf

2345-che-2007 claims.pdf

2345-che-2007 correspondence-others.pdf

2345-che-2007 description (complete).pdf

2345-che-2007 drawings.pdf

2345-che-2007 form-1.pdf

2345-CHE-2007 FORM-13 17-12-2013.pdf

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Patent Number

259619

Indian Patent Application Number

2345/CHE/2007

PG Journal Number

13/2014

Publication Date

28-Mar-2014

Grant Date

20-Mar-2014

Date of Filing

16-Oct-2007

Name of Patentee

SAMSUNG R&D INSTITUTE INDIA - BANGALORE PRIVATE LIMITED

Applicant Address

#2870 ORION BUILDING, BAGMANE CONSTELLATION BUSINESS PARK, OUTER RING ROAD, DODDANAKUNDI CIRCLE, MARATHAHALLI POST, BANGALORE - 560 037.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	ANTONY ALOYSIUS AYANAMCOTTIL	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.
2	VARUN YAREHALLI CHANDRAPPA	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.
3	NATESH SHRIDHAR REVANKAR	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.
4	PRIYA VERMA	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.
5	MOHAMMAD DILSHAD ALAM	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.
6	NITIN PRAKASH SHARMA	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.
7	PRAVEEN PRAKASH THAZHATHU PULLAIKUDI	EMPLOYED AT SAMSUNG INDIA SOFTWARE OPERATIONS PVT.LTD., HAVING ITS OFFICE AT,BAGMANE LAKEVIEW, BLOCK 'B', NO.66/1, BAGMANE TECH PARK, C V RAMAN NAGAR, BYRASANDRA, BANGALORE-560093.

PCT International Classification Number

H04N1/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA