DELIVERY EXPERT SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

• US 20140307284A1
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open TEXT SA (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Ranalli, Douglas J., Huebner, Robert, Johns, Valerie Louise, Ranalli, Shelley J., Baumgartner, Lori, Li, Diana
• Granted Patent: US 9,350,881 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0001 Transmission systems or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00082 Adjusting or controlling interrupting an operation H04N1/00915; inhibiting an operation H04N1/00925
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence
• 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 1/0083 Arrangements for transferring signals between different components of the apparatus, e.g. arrangements of signal lines or cables for control or supervision between image input and output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32053 Delayed transmission, e.g. to make use of reduced connection rates H04N1/32074 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32074 Redialing, e.g. after failure to make a connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/324 intermediate the transmitter and receiver terminals, e.g. at an exchange
• 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 1/32411 Handling instructions for routing or relaying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32422 Reprocessing messages, e.g. in case the intended destination is busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32641 of transmission or transmitted data, e.g. interruption or wrong number of pages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0098 User intervention not otherwise provided for, e.g. placing documents, responding to an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

An automated rule-based system for facilitating delivery of a fax document from a source to a destination over a network where an initial delivery attempt has been unsuccessful. Rules may be stored in a database. The database may include rules based on past delivery information or new delivery instructions. When an input condition is determined, the database may be traversed to determine an action based on the set of rules. The actions may include one or more of resubmitting the fax document to the network for a next delivery attempt, cancelling the document, and identifying the destination as a technical problem. The input conditions may include an identification of non-business days and non-business hours.

Claims

1. A document delivery method, comprising:

subsequent to an unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of a document to a destination over a network, a computing device automatically initiating a process to determine a next action based on an input condition in accordance with a rule in a set of rules consisting of conditions and actions.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conditions are unique in that each condition finds only one or no matches in a table and wherein an action or series of actions can be triggered once a condition is met.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the process automatically initiating generation of a request for an alternative number for the destination.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the process automatically flagging all documents affected by a new delivery instruction such that the new delivery instruction is implemented as the next action.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the destination and the computing device are in different countries or time zones.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the next action comprises one or more of:

deferring delivery of the document until a later time;

resubmitting the document for delivery;

routing the document to an alternate network;

stop attempting delivery of the document;

scheduling a request for additional delivery information;

sending the request for additional delivery information to a source or the destination;

or

identifying the destination as having a technical problem.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document is an email message, a voice mail message, or a fax document.

8. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by a computing device having at least one processor to perform:

subsequent to an unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of a document to a destination over a network, automatically initiating a process to determine a next action based on an input condition in accordance with a rule in a set of rules consisting of conditions and actions.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the conditions are unique in that each condition finds only one or no matches in a table and wherein an action or series of actions can be triggered once a condition is met.

10. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium further stores instructions translatable by the computing device to perform:

automatically initiating generation of a request for an alternative number for the destination.

11. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium further stores instructions translatable by the computing device to perform:

automatically flagging all documents affected by a new delivery instruction such that the new delivery instruction is implemented as the next action.

12. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the next action comprises one or more of:

deferring delivery of the document until a later time;

resubmitting the document for delivery;

routing the document to an alternate network;

stop attempting delivery of the document;

scheduling a request for additional delivery information;

sending the request for additional delivery information to a source or the destination;

or

identifying the destination as having a technical problem.

13. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the document is an email message, a voice mail message, or a fax document.

14. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform;

subsequent to an unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of a document to a destination over a network, automatically initiating a process to determine a next action based on an input condition in accordance with a rule in a set of rules consisting of conditions and actions.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the conditions are unique in that each condition finds only one or no matches in a table and wherein an action or series of actions can be triggered once a condition is met.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium further stores instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

automatically initiating generation of a request for an alternative number for the destination.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium further stores instructions translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

automatically flagging all documents affected by a new delivery instruction such that the new delivery instruction is implemented as the next action.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein the destination and the computing device are in different countries or time zones.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein the next action comprises one or more of:

deferring delivery of the document until a later time;

resubmitting the document for delivery;

routing the document to an alternate network;

stop attempting delivery of the document;

scheduling a request for additional delivery information;

sending the request for additional delivery information to a source or the destination;

or

identifying the destination as having a technical problem.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein the document is an email message, a voice mail message, or a fax document.