Patent ID: 7212301
Filing Date: 2007-05-01
Classification: G06K,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for collecting reports of at least one parameter comprising the following steps: all in a central computer system: automatically and uniquely identifying the physical form from the electronic representation of its received image; in which: the electronic representation of the image of the physical form is generated using a standard, conventional facsimile machine, whereby the transmission channel is a standard telephone line and the central computer system is separate from the facsimile machine other than though its connection via the transmission channel; each data field indicates a quantifiable or itemizable value of a corresponding one of the parameters, further including the additional step of storing the received electronic representation of the image of the physical form in the memory, whereby non-quantifiable and non-itemizable entries by the user onto the physical form are made available for subsequent review; the step of automatically identifying the location of the data fields comprises the following sub-steps: