Delivery expert system, method and computer program product
View Patent ↗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 for a computing device to facilitate delivery of a document from a source to a destination over a network after an unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination, the method comprising:
initiating a rule-based process at the computing device to automatically determine a possible next action related to the delivery of the document based on an input condition such that the next action is automatically determined based on the input condition.
2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving rule-based instructions from the source, wherein the rule-based instructions are received from the source after the unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination.
3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving rule-based instructions from the source, wherein the rule-based instructions are received from the source before the unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the input condition comprises a set of multiple input conditions.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the input condition comprises one or more of:
the destination;
the source;
past delivery attempts to the destination;
an identification of non-business days at the destination; and
an identification of non-business hours at the destination.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the next action comprises one or more of:
resubmitting the document to the network for a next delivery attempt;
canceling the document;
sending a request to the source or destination for additional delivery information; and
identifying the destination as having a technical problem.
7. A 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 at least one processor to perform:
after an unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of a document from a source to a destination over a network, initiating a rule-based process at the computing device to automatically determine a possible next action related to the delivery of the document based on an input condition such that the next action is automatically determined based on the input condition.
9. A computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform receiving rule-based instructions from the source, wherein the rule-based instructions are received from the source after the unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination.
10. A computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform receiving rule-based instructions from the source, wherein the rule-based instructions are received from the source before the unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination.
11. A computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the input condition comprises a set of multiple input conditions.
12. A computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the input condition comprises one or more of:
the destination;
the source;
past delivery attempts to the destination;
an identification of non-business days at the destination; and
an identification of non-business hours at the destination.
13. A computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the next action comprises one or more of:
resubmitting the document to the network for a next delivery attempt;
canceling the document;
sending a request to the source or destination for additional delivery information; and
identifying the destination as having a technical problem.
14. A computer program product according to claim 8 , wherein the document is an email message, a voice mail message, or a fax document.
15. 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:
after an unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of a document from a source to a destination over a network, initiating a rule-based process at the computing device to automatically determine a possible next action related to the delivery of the document based on an input condition such that the next action is automatically determined based on the input condition.
16. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform receiving rule-based instructions from the source, wherein the rule-based instructions are received from the source after the unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination.
17. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform receiving rule-based instructions from the source, wherein the rule-based instructions are received from the source before the unsuccessful initial delivery attempt of the document to the destination.
18. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the input condition comprises one or more of:
the destination;
the source;
past delivery attempts to the destination;
an identification of non-business days at the destination; and
an identification of non-business hours at the destination.
19. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the next action comprises one or more of:
resubmitting the document to the network for a next delivery attempt;
canceling the document;
sending a request to the source or destination for additional delivery information; and
identifying the destination as having a technical problem.
20. A system according to claim 15 , wherein the document is an email message, a voice mail message, or a fax document.