Content-Based Fax Routing System for Accurate Departmental Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current facsimile transmission systems often route faxes based on telephone numbers, leading to incorrect delivery as multiple recipients share the same fax line, and fail to target specific departments within an organization, necessitating manual sorting and distribution.
Innovation Solution
A computer-based system that analyzes the content of faxes by identifying keywords and determining their meaning and context to automatically route facsimiles to appropriate destinations within an organization, eliminating the need for manual sorting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If faxes are routed based on telephone number only, then routing is simple, but delivery accuracy deteriorates when multiple recipients share the same fax line
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fax routing process into multiple stages: initial routing based on telephone number to a central collection point, then secondary routing based on content analysis. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simple initial routing while achieving accurate final delivery through content-based sorting at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary content analysis system at the destination that acts as a mediator between the incoming fax and the final recipient. This intermediary analyzes fax content, identifies keywords, and determines the appropriate recipient, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple routing and accurate delivery.
2Measurement precision
If manual sorting is used to distribute faxes to specific recipients, then routing accuracy improves, but labor costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service routing where the fax system automatically analyzes its own content and determines the appropriate recipient without human intervention. The system extracts keywords, analyzes document type, and autonomously routes the fax to the correct recipient, eliminating manual sorting while maintaining high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual sorting process with an automated computer-based content analysis system. Optical character recognition, keyword extraction, and algorithmic routing replace human operators, thereby improving both accuracy and productivity simultaneously.
3Measurement precision
If content analysis is performed on all faxes, then routing accuracy improves, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial content analysis by focusing on specific key areas of the fax such as the header, subject line, and first paragraph, rather than analyzing the entire document. This selective approach extracts sufficient routing information while minimizing processing time and computational resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary content analysis on the incoming fax immediately upon receipt, before full document processing. By quickly scanning for keywords and document type indicators in the initial moments, the system determines routing destination early, reducing overall processing time while maintaining accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for routing a facsimile includes: receiving a facsimile in a computer readable format; locating one or more keywords in the facsimile, wherein at least two of the keywords are not adjacent in the facsimile; analyzing the facsimile to determine at least one of a meaning of the facsimile and a context of the facsimile; attempting to initiate a business process based at least in part on analysis; and routing at least a portion of the facsimile comprising text to one or more destinations based at least in part on the analysis. Corresponding systems and computer program products are also disclosed.