Systems and methods for routing facsimiles based on content

• US 8,792,126 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kofax Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kofax Incorporated
• Inventors: Couchman, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Cato, Miya J
• Application Number:
  US14/054,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20140043649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/413 Classification of content, e.g. text, photographs or tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00095 Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/00355 Mark-sheet input sensing record carriers G06K7/00; character recognition G06V30/10; document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0036 Alphanumeric symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00374 on the same page as at least a part of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/323 for tracing or tracking, e.g. forensic tracing of unauthorized copies

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for routing a facsimile in a computer readable format includes receiving text of a facsimile in a computer readable format; ascertaining one or more of a significance and a relevance of at least a portion of the text by locating one or more keywords in the text, wherein at least two of the keywords are not adjacent in the text; analyzing the text of the facsimile for at least one of a meaning and a context of the text; and routing the facsimile or text thereof to one or more destinations based on the analysis. Additional disclosed embodiments include systems and computer program products configured to similarly route a facsimile in a computer readable format.

Claims

1. A method for routing a facsimile, comprising:

receiving text of a facsimile in a computer readable format;

ascertaining one or more of a significance and a relevance of at least a portion of the text by ascertaining a position of one or more keywords in the text, wherein at least two of the keywords are not adjacent in the text;

analyzing the text of the facsimile for at least one of a meaning and a context of the text;

routing the facsimile or text thereof to one or more destinations based on the analysis;

initiating a business process based on the analysis;

detecting a problem with the business process;

generating a notification of the problem; and

notifying one or more entities of the problem,

wherein the routing utilizes an outgoing communication device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the analysis further includes matching one or more of the keywords to data stored in memory.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the analysis comprises recognizing at least one of a name, an email address and contact information in the facsimile.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein one or more of the keywords comprises the name, the email address and/or the contact information.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising generating the text from the facsimile.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing at least some of the text in a memory.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising logging information relating to receipt and/or transmission of the facsimile.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the destinations corresponds to an intended recipient of the facsimile.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the destinations corresponds to a recipient other than an intended recipient of the facsimile.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the analysis further includes comparing one or more of the keywords in the text to at least one other element in the text.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the other element comprises one or more of a word, a symbol, and a keyword.

12. A system configured to route a facsimile, the system comprising a processor and logic in and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

receive text of a facsimile in a computer readable format;

ascertain one or more of a significance and a relevance of at least a portion of the text by ascertaining a position of one or more keywords in the text, wherein at least two of the keywords are not adjacent in the text;

analyze the text of the facsimile for at least one of a meaning and a context of the text;

route the facsimile or text thereof to one or more destinations based on the analysis;

initiate a business process based on the analysis;

detect a problem with the business process;

generate a notification of the problem; and

notify one or more entities of the problem,

wherein the routing utilizes an outgoing communication device.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the analysis further includes matching one or more of the keywords to data stored in memory.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the analysis comprises recognizing at least one of a name, an email address and contact information in the facsimile.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein one or more of the keywords comprises the name, the email address and/or the contact information.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising logic configured to cause the processor to generate the text from the facsimile.

17. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising logic configured to cause the processor to store at least some of the text in a memory.

18. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising logic configured to cause the processor to log information relating to receipt and/or transmission of the facsimile.

19. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of the destinations corresponds to an intended recipient of the facsimile.

20. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of the destinations corresponds to a recipient other than an intended recipient of the facsimile.

21. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the analysis further includes comparing one or more of the keywords in the text to at least one other element in the text.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the other element comprises one or more of a word, a symbol, and a keyword.

23. A computer program product for routing a facsimile, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having non-transitory program code embodied therewith, the program code readable/executable by a processor to cause the processor to:

receive text of a facsimile in a computer readable format;

ascertain one or more of a significance and a relevance of at least a portion of the text by ascertaining a position of one or more keywords in the text, wherein at least two of the keywords are not adjacent in the text;

analyze the text of the facsimile for at least one of a meaning and a context of the text;

route the facsimile or text thereof to one or more destinations based on the analysis;

initiate a business process based on the analysis;

detect a problem with the business process;

generate a notification of the problem; and

notify one or more entities of the problem,

wherein the routing utilizes an outgoing communication device.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the analysis further includes matching one or more of the keywords to data stored in memory.

25. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the analysis comprises recognizing at least one of a name, an email address and contact information in the facsimile.

26. The computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein one or more of the keywords comprises the name, the email address and/or the contact information.

27. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, further comprising generating the text from the facsimile.

28. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, further comprising storing at least some of the text in a memory.

29. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, further comprising logging information relating to receipt and/or transmission of the facsimile.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein at least one of the destinations corresponds to an intended recipient of the facsimile.

31. The computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein at least one of the destinations corresponds to a recipient other than an intended recipient of the facsimile.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the analysis further includes comparing one or more of the keywords in the text to at least one other element in the text.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 32, wherein the other element comprises one or more of a word, a symbol, and a keyword.