RELEVANT MESSAGES ASSOCIATED WITH OUTGOING FAX DOCUMENTS
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.
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.