Delivery expert system and method

An integrated a nd 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 a next action based on a set of time variable input conditions, the rule-based process providing as an output, a plurality of different next actions based on different sets of input conditions;
• the input conditions including information from at least one of:
• the destination;
• the source;
• a database of past delivery attempts;
• a human analyst;
• and
• wherein an output from the rule-based process causes a predetermined next action based on a predetermined set of input conditions.

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 a next action based on time variable set of input conditions, the rule-based process providing a plurality of different next actions based on different sets of input conditions;
• determining a first set of time variable conditions for the document based on input from at least one 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.

An integrated and automated document handling system for facilitating delivery of a file attached to an E-mail message 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 unique reasons for non-delivery and being derived from at least one 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.

A method for automated and integrated document handling to facilitate delivery of a message originating in an E-mail system to a destination over a network, the method comprising:

• attempting a standard delivery of the message over a network to the destination;
• if the standard delivery is not successful, initiating a rule-based process which determines an action based on, and in response to, different sets of time variable conditions, wherein the conditions are unique reasons for non-delivery;
• determining a first set of time variable conditions for the message based on input from at least one 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 message 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 message is delivered or declared undeliverable.

An automated system for facilitating delivery of a message to a destination in a network, the system comprising:

• an E-mail system for creating the message;
• a system to transport the message to a service provider location;
• a system in the service provider location to transform the message into a format suitable for delivery to a destination message receiver;
• a system for delivering the message to the destination message receiver;
• and
• an automated rule-based process for assisting in delivering the message to the destination message receiver, the process determining a next action, the rule-based process providing as an output, a plurality of different next actions based on, and in response to, different sets of time variable input conditions, wherein the input conditions are unique reasons for non-delivery.