DELIVERY EXPERT SYSTEM AND METHOD
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. Actions to be taken are based upon a time-variable set of input conditions which may be determined from one or more of the destination, the source, a database of past delivery attempts, and a human analyst. The actions may include one or more of resubmitting the fax document to the network for a next delivery attempt, cancelling the document, sending a request to the source or destination for additional delivery information, and identifying the destination as a technical problem. The input conditions may include an identification of non-business days and non-business hours.
1 . A method of facilitating delivery of a document from a source to a destination over a network when an initial delivery attempt has been unsuccessful, comprising:
initiating a rule-based process to determine a next action based on a time variable set of input conditions to the process.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input conditions are determined from one or more of:
the destination;
the source;
a database of past delivery attempts to the destination;
a human analyst.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the next action includes a next delivery attempt and if the next delivery attempt is not successful, the process is repeated.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input conditions include information regarding what happened on a previous delivery attempt to the destination.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the next action includes one or more of:
resubmitting the document to the network for a next delivery attempt;
canceling the document;
sending a request to the source for additional delivery information;
sending a request to the destination for additional delivery information;
identifying the destination as a technical problem.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input conditions include an identification of non-business days at the destination.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the identification of non-business days is categorized by one or more of country, region and destination number.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input conditions include an identification of non-business hours at the destination.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the input conditions include alternative delivery instructions at the destination.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the alternative delivery instructions are categorized by one or more of country, region and destination.
11 . An integrated and automated document handling system for facilitating delivery of a fax document from a source to a destination in a network, the system comprising:
an automated rule-based process for determining an action based on a set of time variable input conditions;
the input conditions being derived from one or more of:
the destination;
the source;
a database of past delivery attempts;
a human analyst; and
an output from the rule-based process which causes a predetermined action based on a predetermined set of input conditions.
12 . A method for automated and integrated document handling to facilitate delivery of a document from a source to a destination over a network, the method comprising:
attempting a standard delivery of the fax document over a network from the source to the destination;
if the standard delivery is not successful, initiating a rule-based process which determines an action based on time variable conditions;
determining a first set of time variable conditions for the document based on input from one or more of:
the destination;
the source;
a database of past delivery attempts to the destination;
a human analyst;
the rule-based process determining a first action from the first set of conditions;
implementing the first action;
if delivery is still not successful, determining a second set of time variable conditions for the document based on the above-designated inputs;
the rule-based process determining a second action from the second set of conditions;
implementing the second action; and
repeating the above steps of determining conditions and implementing actions until the document is delivered or declared undeliverable.