RELEVANT MESSAGES ASSOCIATED WITH OUTGOING FAX DOCUMENTS

• US 20070115512A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooney, Lucas, Noel, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/164,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32406 in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention allow for incorporation of relevant messages, such as commercial advertisements, in outgoing faxes and/or for presentation of relevant messages with outgoing faxes. Text may be extracted from a current and/or previously sent or received facsimile and relevant messages may be added in the facsimile. A sample embodiment of the system comprises an Obtaining Means, an Extracting Means, an Analyzing Means, a Storing Means, a Selecting Means, an Incorporating Means, a Converting Means, and a Transmitting Means. An alternative sample embodiment comprises an Obtaining Means, an Extracting Means, an Incorporating Means, and a Transmitting Means. The systems may be maintained by a Fax Server Provider. A sample embodiment of the method comprises the steps of obtaining a facsimile from a Sender, extracting text from the facsimile, incorporating one or more relevant messages in the facsimile, and transmitting the facsimile to a Recipient.

Claims

1. A system for incorporating relevant messages into an outgoing facsimile, comprising:

a) a Means for Obtaining a facsimile from a Sender,

b) a Means for Extracting a text from said facsimile,

c) a Means for Analyzing said text,

d) a Means for Storing one or more relevant messages,

e) a Means for Selecting said relevant messages for incorporating in said facsimile, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text,

f) a Means for Incorporating said relevant messages in said facsimile, and

g) a Means for Transmitting said facsimile to a Recipient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said Means for Analyzing includes an ability to determine significant terms, keywords, key-phrases, topics, and/or categories in said text.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said Means for Storing includes an ability to store one or more terms, keywords, key-phrases, topics, and/or categories associated with said relevant messages.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said Means for Storing includes an ability to store one or more geographical locations associated with said relevant messages.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

h) a Means for Converting said facsimile into a fax-compliant format.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender in a form of one or more computer files.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via an I-Fax-compliant device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via an email.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via a website.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via a software.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said Means for Extracting includes an ability to apply Optical Character Recognition to said facsimile to extract said text.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said relevancy of said messages is further determined as a function of a Sender'"'"'s property.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said Sender'"'"'s property comprises a Sender'"'"'s geographical location.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said Sender'"'"'s property comprises a Sender'"'"'s email address.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said Sender'"'"'s property comprises a Sender'"'"'s preference.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said relevancy of said messages is further determined as a function of a Recipient'"'"'s property.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said Recipient'"'"'s property comprises a Recipient'"'"'s fax number.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said Recipient'"'"'s property comprises a Recipient'"'"'s geographical location.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said Recipient'"'"'s property comprises a Recipient'"'"'s name.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said system is maintained by a Fax Service Provider.

21. A system for incorporating relevant messages into an outgoing facsimile, comprising:

a) a Means for Obtaining a first facsimile from a first Sender and a second facsimile from a second Sender,

b) a Means for Extracting a text from said first facsimile,

c) a Means for Analyzing said text,

d) a Means for Storing one or more relevant messages,

e) a Means for Selecting said relevant messages for incorporating in said second facsimile, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text,

f) a Means for Incorporating said relevant messages in said second facsimile, and

g) a Means for Transmitting said first facsimile and said second facsimile to a Recipient.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said first Sender and said second Sender are the same person or entity.

23. A system for incorporating relevant messages into an outgoing facsimile, comprising:

a) a Means for Receiving a first facsimile from a Sender,

b) a Means for Extracting a text from said first facsimile,

c) a Means for Analyzing said text,

d) a Means for Delivering said first facsimile to a User,

e) a Means for Storing one or more relevant messages,

f) a Means for Obtaining a second facsimile from said User,

g) a Means for Selecting said relevant messages for incorporating in said second facsimile, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text,

h) a Means for Incorporating said relevant messages in said second facsimile, and

i) a Means for Transmitting said second facsimile to a Recipient.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said Sender and said Recipient are the same person or entity.

25. A method for incorporating relevant messages into an outgoing facsimile, comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining a facsimile from a Sender,

b) extracting a text from said facsimile,

c) analyzing said text,

d) selecting one or more relevant messages for incorporating in said facsimile, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text,

e) incorporating said relevant messages in said facsimile, and

f) transmitting said facsimile to a Recipient.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising a step of:

g) validating said Sender.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said analyzing includes determining significant terms, keywords, key-phrases, topics, and/or categories in said text.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising a step of:

g) converting said facsimile into a fax-compliant format.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender in a form of one or more computer files.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via an I-Fax-compliant device.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via an email.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via a website.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein said facsimile is obtained from said Sender via a software.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein said extracting said text from said facsimile is performed using Optical Character Recognition.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein said relevancy of said messages is further determined as a function of a Sender'"'"'s property.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said Sender'"'"'s property comprises a Sender'"'"'s geographical location.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said Sender'"'"'s property comprises a Sender'"'"'s email address.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said Sender'"'"'s property comprises a Sender'"'"'s preference.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein said relevancy of said messages is further determined as a function of a Recipient'"'"'s property.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said Recipient'"'"'s property comprises a Recipient'"'"'s fax number.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein said Recipient'"'"'s property comprises a Recipient'"'"'s geographical location.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein said Recipient'"'"'s property comprises a Recipient'"'"'s name.

43. The method of claim 25, wherein said method is performed by a Fax Service Provider.

44. A method for incorporating relevant messages into an outgoing facsimile, comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining a first facsimile from a first Sender,

b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,

c) analyzing said text,

d) transmitting said first facsimile to a Recipient,

e) obtaining a second facsimile from a second Sender,

f) selecting one or more relevant messages for incorporating in said second facsimile, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text,

g) incorporating said relevant messages in said second facsimile, and

h) transmitting said second facsimile to said Recipient.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said first Sender and said second Sender are the same person or entity.

46. A method for incorporating relevant messages into an outgoing facsimile, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a first facsimile from a Sender,

b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,

c) analyzing said text,

d) delivering said first facsimile to a User,

e) obtaining a second facsimile from said User,

f) selecting one or more relevant messages for incorporating in said second facsimile, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text,

g) incorporating said relevant messages in said second facsimile, and

h) transmitting said second facsimile to a Recipient.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said Sender and said Recipient are the same person or entity.