Internet Fax Keyword Search Using OCR Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in organizing, storing, and searching through large sets of received fax documents due to the complexity of fax communication systems, which affects performance and usability.
Innovation Solution
A computer system that provides internet fax services by assigning unique DID lines, using optical character recognition to extract keywords from fax messages, and prioritizing search operations based on subscriber level of service, allowing users to search and retrieve fax documents efficiently over the internet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually organize and search through large sets of received fax documents, then complete control over fax management is achieved, but the complexity and time required for searching increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically extracting keywords from fax documents and organizing them into an indexed database structure before users need to search. The optical character recognition and keyword extraction processes pre-process incoming faxes, creating searchable metadata that enables rapid retrieval without manual intervention during the search phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical searching through physical or electronic file systems with an automated information retrieval system. Optical character recognition technology converts fax images into machine-readable text, and database indexing mechanisms substitute for manual sorting and searching, dramatically reducing the time and effort required to locate specific fax documents.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system processes and stores all received fax messages for searching, then search capability is improved, but the complexity of the fax management system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential searchable elements (keywords) from complete fax documents rather than storing and processing entire fax files for search operations. This extraction approach maintains comprehensive search capability while significantly reducing the complexity of the management system by focusing only on critical metadata.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fax management system into distinct functional modules: receipt processing, optical character recognition, keyword extraction, database indexing, and search retrieval. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and reduces overall system complexity by creating manageable, specialized subsystems that work together.
3Measurement precision
If keyword detection and OCR processing is applied to all faxes, then search accuracy is improved, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by performing keyword detection and OCR processing selectively rather than uniformly on all fax documents. The patent implements intelligence to determine when full processing is necessary versus when simplified handling suffices, balancing search accuracy requirements against processing throughput needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting the depth and intensity of OCR and keyword extraction based on fax characteristics, user preferences, and system load conditions. Variables such as processing resolution, keyword threshold levels, and conversion quality settings can be modified to optimize the balance between search accuracy and processing efficiency for different scenarios.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively organizes and prioritizes fax search operations, maintaining performance even with large volumes of fax messages, enabling users to efficiently find and utilize their received faxes by converting them into native file formats for editing and retrieval.
Implementation Method 1
using optical character recognition to extract keywords from fax messages
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing an internet fax service has an engine to process a raw fax document, received for a user of the internet fax service, using digital character recognition to produce recognized text or an associated formatted text document. A conversion engine may convert the raw fax to native file format being one of a) word processor format, b) spreadsheet format, c) slide presentation format, or d) another format that can be read on a user interface. An internet server is to make the native file format document available to the user over an internet. A fax content processing unit is to perform keyword scanning of the recognized text, and then allows the user to search for stored faxes by keyword. Other embodiments are also described.