Delivery expert system, method and computer program product
View Patent ↗Embodiments disclosed herein can facilitate delivery of a 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 input conditions which may include a time-variable set of input conditions such as identifying non-business days and/or hours at the destination. The document can be a fax, an email, or a voice mail. The actions may include resubmitting the document to the network for a next delivery attempt, cancelling the document, sending a request to the source or destination for additional delivery information, identifying the destination as a technical problem, or a combination thereof.
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:
at a network server machine communicatively connected to the network:
initiating a rule-based process to determine a next action based on a set of input conditions to the rule-based process, wherein the set of input conditions comprises a time variable set of input conditions, and wherein the time variable set of input conditions comprises an identification of non-business time at the destination.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-business time at the destination comprises non-business days at the destination.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-business time at the destination comprises non-business hours at the destination.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-business time at the destination is categorized by a country in which the destination is located, a region in which the destination is located, a destination number, or a combination thereof.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein attributes for the set of input conditions comprise response, cycle, destination business hours, delivery instruction, past action taken, and alternative network tried.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein an output from the rule-based process causes a predetermined action based on a predetermined set of input conditions.
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the rule-based process is implemented by traversing a hierarchical decision tree and wherein rules control movement through the hierarchical decision tree.
8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the hierarchical decision tree is constructed as a series of hierarchical tables and wherein each of the hierarchical tables contains a set of rules with unique conditions.
9. An integrated and automated document handling system for facilitating delivery of a document from a source to a destination in a network, the system comprising:
a computer communicatively connected to the network and configured to automatically initiate a rule-based process for determining a next action based on a set of input conditions to the rule-based process, wherein the set of input conditions comprises a time variable set of input conditions, and wherein the time variable set of input conditions comprises an identification of non-business time at the destination.
10. An integrated and automated document handling system according to claim 9 , wherein the non-business time at the destination comprises non-business days at the destination.
11. An integrated and automated document handling system according to claim 9 , wherein the non-business time at the destination comprises non-business hours at the destination.
12. An integrated and automated document handling system according to claim 9 , wherein the non-business time at the destination is categorized by a country in which the destination is located, a region in which the destination is located, a destination number, or a combination thereof.
13. An integrated and automated document handling system according to claim 9 , wherein attributes for the set of input conditions comprise response, cycle, destination business hours, delivery instruction, past action taken, and alternative network tried.
14. An integrated and automated document handling system according to claim 9 , wherein an output from the rule-based process causes a predetermined action based on a predetermined set of input conditions.
15. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions translatable by at least one computer processing unit to facilitate delivery of a document from a source to a destination over a network when an initial delivery attempt has been unsuccessful, the instructions further translatable by the at least one computer processing unit to perform:
at a network server machine communicatively connected to the network:
initiating a rule-based process to determine a next action based on a set of input conditions to the rule-based process, wherein the set of input conditions comprises a time variable set of input conditions, and wherein the time variable set of input conditions comprises an identification of non-business time at the destination.
16. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein the non-business time at the destination comprises non-business days at the destination.
17. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein the non-business time at the destination comprises non-business hours at the destination.
18. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein the non-business time at the destination is categorized by a country in which the destination is located, a region in which the destination is located, a destination number, or a combination thereof.
19. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein attributes for the set of input conditions comprise response, cycle, destination business hours, delivery instruction, past action taken, and alternative network tried.
20. A computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein an output from the rule-based process causes a predetermined action based on a predetermined set of input conditions.