Delivery expert system and method

Abstract

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.