RELEVANT MESSAGES ASSOCIATED WITH INCOMING FAX DOCUMENTS
Systems and methods of the present invention allow for incorporation of relevant messages, such as commercial advertisements, in incoming faxes and/or for presentation of relevant messages with incoming faxes. Text may be extracted from a current and/or previously sent or received facsimile, using, for example, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and relevant messages may be added in the facsimile. A sample embodiment of the system comprises a Receiving Means, an Extracting Means, an Analyzing Means, a Storing Means, a Selecting Means, an Incorporating Means, a Converting Means, and a Delivering Means. An alternative sample embodiment comprises a Receiving Means, an Extracting Means, an Incorporating Means, and a Delivering Means. The systems may be maintained by a Fax Server Provider. A sample embodiment of the method comprises the steps of receiving a facsimile intended for a Recipient, extracting text from the facsimile, incorporating one or more relevant messages in the facsimile, and delivering the facsimile to the Recipient.
1 . A system for incorporating relevant messages into an incoming facsimile, comprising:
a) a Means for Receiving a facsimile intended for a Recipient,
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 Delivering said facsimile to said 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 one or more computer files.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said facsimile is received from a Sender via the PSTN.
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 incoming facsimile, comprising:
a) a Means for Receiving a first facsimile and a second facsimile intended for a Recipient,
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 Delivering said first facsimile and said second facsimile to said Recipient.
22 . A system for incorporating relevant messages into an incoming facsimile, comprising:
a) a Means for Obtaining a first facsimile from a User,
b) a Means for Extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) a Means for Analyzing said text,
d) a Means for Transmitting said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) a Means for Storing one or more relevant messages,
f) a Means for Receiving a second facsimile from a Sender,
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 Delivering said second facsimile to said User.
23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein said Sender and said Recipient are the same person or entity.
24 . A system for presenting relevant messages, comprising:
a) a Means for Receiving a facsimile intended for a Recipient,
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, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
f) a Means for Delivering said facsimile to said Recipient and for Presenting said relevant messages to said Recipient.
25 . A system for presenting relevant messages, comprising:
a) a Means for Obtaining a first facsimile from a User,
b) a Means for Extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) a Means for Analyzing said text,
d) a Means for Transmitting said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) a Means for Storing one or more relevant messages,
f) a Means for Receiving a second facsimile from a Sender,
g) a Means for Selecting said relevant messages, wherein a relevancy of said messages is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
h) a Means for Delivering said second facsimile to said User and for Presenting said relevant messages to said User.
26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein said Sender and said Recipient are the same person or entity.
27 . A method for incorporating relevant messages into an incoming facsimile, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving 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) delivering said facsimile to a Recipient.
28 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising a step of:
g) validating said Sender.
29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said analyzing includes determining significant terms, keywords, key-phrases, topics, and/or categories in said text.
30 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising a step of:
g) converting said facsimile into a fax-compliant format.
31 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said facsimile is delivered to said Recipient in a form of one or more computer files.
32 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said facsimile is delivered to said Recipient via an I-Fax-compliant device.
33 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said facsimile is delivered to said Recipient via an email.
34 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said facsimile is delivered to said Recipient via a website.
35 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said facsimile is delivered to said Recipient via a software.
36 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said extracting said text from said facsimile is performed using Optical Character Recognition.
37 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said relevancy of said messages is further determined as a function of a Sender's property.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein said Sender's property comprises a Sender's geographical location.
39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein said Sender's property comprises a Sender's email address.
40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein said Sender's property comprises a Sender's preference.
41 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said relevancy of said messages is further determined as a function of a Recipient's property.
42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein said Recipient's property comprises a Recipient's fax number.
43 . The method of claim 41 , wherein said Recipient's property comprises a Recipient's geographical location.
44 . The method of claim 41 , wherein said Recipient's property comprises a Recipient's name.
45 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising a step of:
g) delivering said text to said Recipient.
46 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising a step of:
g) delivering one or more unincorporated messages to said Recipient.
47 . The method of claim 46 , wherein said unincorporated messages are selected as a function of said text.
48 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said method is performed by a Fax Service Provider.
49 . A method for incorporating relevant messages into an incoming facsimile, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a first facsimile from a first Sender,
b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) delivering said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) receiving 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) delivering said second facsimile to said Recipient.
50 . The method of claim 49 , wherein said first Sender and said second Sender are the same person or entity.
51 . A method for incorporating relevant messages into an incoming facsimile, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a first facsimile from a User,
b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) transmitting said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) receiving a second facsimile from a 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) delivering said second facsimile to said User.
52 . The method of claim 51 , wherein said Recipient and said Sender are the same person or entity.
53 . A method for presenting a relevant message, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a facsimile from a Sender,
b) extracting a text from said facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) selecting a relevant message, wherein a relevancy of said message is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
e) delivering said facsimile to a Recipient and presenting said relevant message to said Recipient.
54 . A method for presenting a relevant message, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a first facsimile from a first Sender,
b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) delivering said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) receiving a second facsimile from a second Sender,
f) selecting a relevant message, wherein a relevancy of said message is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
g) delivering said second facsimile to said Recipient and presenting said relevant message to said Recipient.
55 . The method of claim 54 , wherein said first Sender and said second Sender are the same person or entity.
56 . A method for presenting a relevant message, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a first facsimile from a User,
b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) transmitting said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) receiving a second facsimile from a Sender,
f) selecting a relevant message, wherein a relevancy of said message is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
g) delivering said second facsimile to said User and presenting said relevant message to said User.
57 . The method of claim 56 , wherein said Recipient and said Sender are the same person or entity.
58 . A method for presenting a relevant message, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a facsimile from a Sender,
b) extracting a text from said facsimile,
c) delivering said facsimile to a Recipient,
d) analyzing said text,
e) selecting a relevant message, wherein a relevancy of said message is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
f) presenting said relevant message to said Recipient.
59 . A method for presenting a relevant message, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a first facsimile from a first Sender,
b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) delivering said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) receiving a second facsimile from a second Sender,
f) delivering said second facsimile to said Recipient,
g) selecting a relevant message, wherein a relevancy of said message is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
h) presenting said relevant message to said Recipient.
60 . The method of claim 59 , wherein said first Sender and said second Sender are the same person or entity.
61 . A method for presenting a relevant message, comprising the steps of:
a) obtaining a first facsimile from a User,
b) extracting a text from said first facsimile,
c) analyzing said text,
d) transmitting said first facsimile to a Recipient,
e) receiving a second facsimile from a Sender,
f) delivering said second facsimile to said User,
g) selecting a relevant message, wherein a relevancy of said message is determined, at least in part, as a function of said text, and
h) presenting said relevant message to said User.
62 . The method of claim 61 , wherein said Recipient and said Sender are the same person or entity.