Method and system for delivering a message

• US 20050097139A1
• Filed: 10/14/2002
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyland Switzerland, Sarl
• Original Assignee: Rhodia Polyamide Intermediates Sas (Rhodia Incorporated)
• Inventors: Appelstal, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method and system for delivering a message from a sending party to a receiving party, where a data stream defining the message is received and information is retrieved from a recipient database (112) in a message delivery unit (100) at the sending party. A destination selector (110) investigates the received data stream and compares the retrieved database information with the received data stream for automatically determining a delivery form, based on the comparison. Details regarding the delivery form may be selected according to preferences of the receiving party stored in the recipient database (112). Thereby, labour efforts and costs can be minimised, and delivery form and details are automatically determined based on the received message data stream for each individual message, without requiring any separate supervising control signalling.

Claims

1. A method of determining a delivery form of a a message to be delivered from a sending party to a receiving party, the method comprising the steps of:

A) receiving a data stream defining the message wherein the received data stream is adapted for printing,

B) retrieving information from a recipient database,

C) investigating the received data stream and comparing the retrieved database information with the received data stream to detect a match between the retrieved database information and the received data stream, and

D) determining a delivery form based on the investigating and comparing step C) for delivering the message, wherein steps A)-D) are performed automatically in a message delivery unit at the sending party.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein a determination is made at step D) to deliver the message in an e-mail if a match is detected in step C) between the retrieved database information and the received data stream.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the match is detected by finding an identification of the receiving party in both the retrieved database information and the received data stream.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein a determination is made at step D) to deliver the message via one of a post mail and fax if no match is detected in step C) between the retrieved database information and the received data stream.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the retrieved database information includes a delivery indication of the receiving party and the delivery form is determined in step D) according to the delivery indication.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein a determination is made at step D) to deliver the message in an e-mail and the delivery details are determined according to the delivery indication.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the delivery indication includes preferences of the receiving party for selecting at least one of delivery by e-mail, delivery by post mail and delivery by fax and preferred details regarding at least one of the electronic format and content of the message for e-mail delivery.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the format of the message is selected as an attached file for e-mail delivery.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the format of the message is selected as raw data extracted from the received data stream for e-mail delivery, the receiving party creating a suitable electronic file or a printed document from the raw data.

11. A method according to claim 6 wherein the delivery indication is selectively specified for different types of messages.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein the received data stream is investigated in step C) according to a predefined logic by scanning at least certain predetermined fields of the data stream for identifying the receiving party and the message.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein a determination is made in step D) to deliver the message in an e-mail and an electronic certificate is attached to the message based on an agreement established between the message sending party and the receiving party.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein a determination is made in step D) to deliver the message in an e-mail, the message including a link to at least one electronic address for enabling automatic actions by the receiving party in response to the message.

24. A computer program product directly loadable into a computer in the message delivery unit, comprising software code means for performing the method of claim 1.

25. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising readable program for causing a computer in the message delivery unit to perform the method of claim 1.

2. (canceled)

15. A system for delivering a message from a sending party having a message delivery unit to a receiving party, the system comprising:

a printer driver for receiving a data stream defining the message, the data stream being adapted for printing, and

a destination selector for

automatically retrieving information from a recipient database,

investigating the received data stream,

comparing the retrieved database information with the received data stream to detect a match between the retrieved database information and the received data stream and

determining a delivery form of the message based on the comparison for delivering the message.

17. A system according to claim 15 wherein the destination selector comprises a predefined logic for investigating the received data stream by scanning at least certain predetermined fields of the data stream for identifying at least one of the receiving party and the message.

18. A system according to claim 15 wherein the message delivery unit further comprises a document unit for creating a suitable electronic format version of the message if the delivery form is determined to be an e-mail.

19. A system according to claim 15 wherein the message delivery unit further comprises an e-mail generating unit for creating an e-mail including the message to the receiving party if the delivery form is determined to be an e-mail.

20. A system according to claim 19, further comprising an e-mail sending unit for sending the created e-mail to the receiving party.

21. A system according to claim 15 further comprising a printer unit for printing a paper copy of the message if the delivery form is determined to be one of a post mail or a fax.

22. A system according to claim 15 wherein the message delivery unit further comprises means for attaching an electronic certificate to the message, based on an agreement established between the message sending party and the receiving party if the delivery form is determined to be an e-mail.

23. A system according to claim 15 wherein the message delivery unit further comprises means for including a link to at least one electronic address in the message, enabling automatic actions by the receiving party in response to the message if the delivery form is determined to be an e-mail.

16. (canceled)