Configurable document server

• US 10,652,423 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open Text Sa Ulc (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Webster, Jason K., Riedel, Michael, Hunt, Jr., Byron D., Rebert, Treber, Isabelle, Jonathan, Harman, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhingra, Pawan
• Application Number:
  US15/341,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20170054868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/121 Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1217 achieving reduced idle time at the output device or increased asset utilization
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1275 Print workflow management, e.g. defining or changing a workflow, cross publishing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0022 involving facsimile protocols or a combination of facsimile protocols and computer data transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32427 Optimising routing, e.g. for minimum cost
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32641 of transmission or transmitted data, e.g. interruption or wrong number of pages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

A configurable document server is described. In some embodiments, the configurable document server can enable administrators to set an option that prevents documents from being routed to users when the configurable document server experiences some types of errors. When the configurable document server determines that such an error condition exists, it may prevent the routing of the corresponding document. By preventing documents causing errors from being routed, the configurable document server enables administrators to improve the accuracy of document workflow and thereby improve productivity of users.

Claims

1. A method of routing documents in a network environment comprising:

receiving a document at a transport mechanism from a queue on a document server configured to be communicatively coupled to the transport mechanism, the document belonging to a first type of various types of documents routed in the network environment, wherein the transport mechanism is communicatively coupled to a message transport coupled to a network for sending the document, the document server is configured to place the document on the queue associated with the transport mechanism, and the transport mechanism is an independently configurable module operating independently of an originating message service or source of the document having one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism and providing a common processing architecture, including common scheduling and queuing support, for a plurality of message transports;

selecting, by the transport mechanism, a message transport for the document from the plurality of message transports based on the application of the one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism to the document wherein the message transport is selected based on a workflow associated with the document and a determination whether an error condition exists in association with receipt of the document at the document server, and if an error condition exists and it was determined that a configuration option is set to prevent routing of the received document on error a first specific message transport is selected as the message transport and if the configuration option is not set to prevent routing on error, a second specific message transport is selected as the message transport; and

routing, by the transport mechanism, the document from the transport mechanism to the selected message transport to transmit the document.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document is received at the transport mechanism through an application program interface associated with the transport mechanism.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transport mechanism is a virtualized facsimile board.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the application programming interface provides an interface associated with the facsimile board.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transport mechanism acts as a plug-in to the document server to receive the document.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a computer based network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document is routed using Fax-Over-IP protocol.

9. A system for routing documents in a network environment comprising a transport mechanism:

wherein the transport mechanism is communicatively coupled to a message transport coupled to a network for sending a document, the document belonging to a first type of various types of documents routed in the network environment;

the transport mechanism is communicatively coupled to a document server; and

the transport mechanism is an independently configurable module operating independently of an originating message service or source of the document having one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism and providing a common processing architecture, including common scheduling and queuing support, for a plurality of message transports; and

is configured to;

receive the document from the document server, the document server is configured to place the document on a queue on the document server associated with the transport mechanism;

select, by the transport mechanism, a message transport for the document from the plurality of message transports based on the application of the one or more routing rules configured for that transport mechanism to the document, wherein the message transport is selected based on a workflow associated with the document and a determination whether an error condition exists in association with receipt of the document at the document server, and if an error condition exists and it was determined that a configuration option is set to prevent routing of the received document on error a first specific message transport is selected as the message transport and if the configuration option is not set to prevent routing on error, a second specific message transport is selected as the message transport; and

route, by the transport mechanism, the document from the transport mechanism to the selected message transport to transmit the document without involvement of the user.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an application programming interface associated with the transport mechanism, through which the transport mechanism receives the document.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the transport mechanism is a virtualized facsimile board.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the application programming interface provides an interface associated with the facsimile board.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the transport mechanism avis as a plug-in to the document server to receive the document.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the network is a publicly switched telephone network (PSTN).

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the network is a computer-based network.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the transport mechanism routes the document using Fax-Over-IP protocol.