Abstract:
This invention is a system and method that provides for the total integration and processing of all possible incoming message types into a single unit at one location. This invention also provides a system to automatically route messages based upon the preferences of the party who received the message. Responses to messages may be kept with the original message so that the status of the message may be maintained. This invention also presents an integrated approach for transmitting messages in all possible media from a single device at one location.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of information management and more particularly to the field of managing incoming information received from a plurality of media and determining the optimal transmission media for the generation of new messages or responses to the received information. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     From the dawn of civilization, people have directly transmitted information from one person to another. Information was first transmitted by speech and later by the written word. Writings enabled people to transmit information by messengers from a location in which the sender of the writing was present to another location where the receiver was present. In time, postal services were developed in which a person would deliver a letter to the post office in one city and an agent of the post office would deliver that letter to a post office in another city where the letter would be picked up by the person to whom the letter was sent. Ever since the numeric codification of streets and buildings received general acceptance, an individual&#39;s name and their household postal address have been linked. 
     With the advent of general local and then national telephone service, a second numbering system was developed based on the location of the telephone that was assigned to a particular individual. This second number was tied by tradition to the individual&#39;s numeric household address. 
     Cellular telephone services have been developed in which the cellular telephone can be moved from one location to another. The cellular telephone is assigned a numeric identification number. When the cellular telephone is in the roaming mode, i.e., being moved from one location to another, the cellular telephone network needs a little help from the user of the cellular telephone to establish the location of the cellular telephone. 
     Facsimile machines that utilize the telephone network have been developed to transmit information from one facsimile machine to another. Computers that utilize modems and the telephone network have been developed to transmit information from one computer to another. Currently, information may also be transmitted from one location to another by a smart telephone, i.e., a telephone having a screen and a keyboard and information may also be transmitted by cable television i.e., invoices. 
     Currently, individuals are receiving information by mail, telephone, cellular telephone, telephone answering machines, facsimile machine, computer, and cable television. A disadvantage of the prior art is that all of the information has to be handled in a different manner using different devices. For instance, when one goes to work in the morning, an individual has to: check voice mail to retrieve the phone messages; check a computer to determine the E-mail messages; go to a facsimile machine to review the facsimile messages; go to their inbox to review letter mail; and go to a television set to review information transmitted by video. 
     An additional disadvantage of the prior art is that the individual may review the messages in an order that bears no relationship to their perceived importance. 
     Another disadvantage of the prior art is that the individual may have to check all of the media before they obtain the message that is most important to them. 
     Another problem encountered by the prior art is that, often times, the sender of a message has to review the status of a sent message, i.e., did the recipient of the message actually perform the task requested by the sender of the message. Often, the sender has to contact the recipient of the message to determine whether or not the task has been completed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method that enables incoming information (messages) received from a plurality of devices to be available on a single unit so that the information may be accessed at one location using the single unit. This invention also provides a system to automatically route messages based upon the preferences of the party who received the message. Responses to messages may be kept with the original message so that the status of the message may be maintained. 
     This invention also enables one to send a message in the most optimal manner. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a drawing of a flow chart showing the executive routine of this invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the routine for processing information from incoming messages; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B is a flow chart showing the routine for processing messages and transmitting messages; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the status of the messages that were sent by this invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of a priority table that determines the destination of the messages based upon user defined priorities. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference character  11  represents a user&#39;s work station. Unit or work station  11  includes a keyboard  12  and a central processing unit (CPU)  13 . Telephone  14  is coupled to modem  15 , and modem  15  is coupled to modem  16 . Modem  16  is coupled to work station  11 . Voice data is transmitted to and from telephone  14  to work station  11  via modems  15  and  16 . A cellular telephone may also be used to communicate with station  11 . Work station  11  is coupled to the internet  17  so that E-mail messages, data, voice and audio information may be sent to and from station  11 . A server  18  is coupled to station  11  so that server  18  may hold and store information waiting to be sent to station  11 . Server  18  may also be used as a conduit to other work stations (not shown) on a local area network. A user storage device  19 , i.e., disk drive, CD drive, etc. is connected to station  11  so that device  19  may store information. A video display  20  is coupled to station  11  so that information may be displayed on display  20 . 
     Postal Security Device (PSD)  21  is coupled to central processing unit  13 . PSD  21  is a secure device which stores postal funds and performs accounting on disbursed funds. Virtual meter  22  is coupled to central processing unit  13 . Virtual meter  22  provides an alternative mechanism for accessing, disbursing and accounting of postal funds by coupling to internet  17  via CPU  13  for internet access. Printer  31  is also coupled to central processing unit  13 . PSD  21  and meter  22  are used to affix postage to mail. Document generation station  23  is coupled to central processing unit  13 . Document generation station  23  is used to produce personalized mail pieces that may contain different inserts that are inserted into mail pieces and sealed by generation station  23 . Station  23  may be the DocuMatch™ system manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of 1 Elmcroft Road, Stamford, Conn. Facsimile  24  is coupled to modem  25 , and modem  25  is coupled to modem  26 . Modem  26  is coupled to central processing unit  13 . Graphic and text information are transmitted to and from facsimile  24  to CPU  13  via modems  25  and  26 . Voice response unit  27  is coupled to CPU  13 . Voice response unit  27  generates an acoustic speech signal that communicates an intended message to a human request for information. The human may enter information into unit  27  by pressing various keys on a telephone when prompted by unit  27 . The keyed information is then entered into CPU  13 . A scanner  28  is coupled to CPU  13 . Scanner  28  may scan information that is subsequently digitized and sent to CPU  13 . Copies of scanned information may be produced using printer  31 . A voice synthesis system  29  is coupled to CPU  13 . System  29  converts voice data into a format that CPU  13  converts to alphanumeric text. System  29  may also be used to instruct CPU  13  to perform various functions. Personal computer  30  is coupled to CPU  13 . Information and data may be transmitted to and from computer  30  and CPU  13 . The information may also be processed by one or both of the aforementioned computers. Speaker  32  is coupled to CPU  13 . Speaker  32  permits one to hear the voice messages sent by the devices capable of producing audio messages, i.e., telephone  14 , internet  17 , server  18 , unit  27 , system  29 , etc. 
     FIG. 2 is a drawing of a flow chart showing the executive routine of this invention. This program begins in decision block  100 . Block  100  determines whether or not there are any very important messages that were previously received and were not processed and were stored in the received message data bases, i.e., data bases  110 - 121  (FIG.  3 ). If decision block  100  determines that there are very important messages or other messages in the data base, the program will proceed to block  101 . Block  101  will process the information contained in the message. If block  100  determines that there are no very important messages or other messages in the data base, the program will proceed to decision block  102 . Block  102  will determine whether or not there are any new received messages. If decision block  102  determines that there are new received messages, the program will proceed to block  103 . Block  103  will receive the new message(s). If block  102  determines that there are no new messages, the program will proceed to decision block  104 . Block  104  determines whether or not there are any messages to be transmitted. If decision block  104  determines that there are messages to be transmitted, the program will proceed to block  105 . Block  105  will transmit the message(s). If block  104  determines that there are no messages to be transmitted, the program will proceed to decision block  106 . Block  106  determines whether or not one wants to know the status of the message(s) all ready responded to. If decision block  106  determines that the status of the messages is wanted, the program will proceed to block  107 . Block  107  will review the status of the sent messages. If block  106  determines that the status of the messages is not wanted, the program will proceed back to the input of decision block  100 . 
     FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the routine for processing new incoming messages. The program receives messages in block  103  and then goes to block  108 . Block  108  determines the priority of the received message. The priority of the received message is determined by a priority indicator embedded in the received message if the indicator exists. If the priority indicator is set, it overrides other factors like the subject or originator of the message. FIG. 6 depicts the automatic routing of received messages as a function of routing rules or factors. Then the program goes to block  109 . 
     Block  109  identifies the message type and stores the message in the appropriate data base along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by E-mail, the message will be stored in block  110  E-mail data base along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by synthesized voice, the message will be stored in block  111  synthesized voice data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was scanned, the message will be stored in block  112  scanned data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted with some unknown message type, the message will be stored in block  113  unknown type data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by telephone, the message will be stored in block  114  telephone message data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by video, the message will be stored in block  115  video data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was originally transmitted in a hard copy (paper) format and copies were made by the system to be eventually sent in a hard copy (paper) form, the scanned image of the hard copy message will be stored in block  116  hardcopy data base, along with its priority If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by facsimile, the message will be stored in block  117  facsimile data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by a voice response unit, the message will be stored in block  118  voice response unit data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by a personal computer, the message will be stored in block  119  personal computer data base, along with its priority. If block  109  determines that the message was transmitted by the server, the message will be stored in block  120  server data base, along with its priority. 
     The data bases of blocks  110 - 120  are object-oriented data bases. An attribute “priority” exists for each object (message). The attribute is set by the contents of the “priority Indicator” which was determined in block  108 . Data bases  110 - 120  are logical data bases. The physical data base is normally the one associated with the type of message, i.e., Lotus Notes for E-mail block  110 . 
     If block  109  determines that the message is a response to the message previously stored in data bases  110 - 120 , the message will be stored in block  121  response to message sent database. Block  109  will tag the highest priority message(s) as “a very important message(s)”. All the messages from blocks  110 - 120  with their priority will be stored in block  122 . Block  122  will also tag the other messages in priority order. Then the program will go to decision block  123 . Decision block  123  will determine whether or not additional messages are to be processed. If block  123  determines that there are additional messages to be processed, the program will go back to the input of block  108 . If block  123  determines that there are no additional messages to be processed, the program will go to block  124  to return to the executive routine to determine if there are any messages to be transmitted in block  104  (FIG.  2 ). 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are a flow chart showing the routine for processing received messages and transmitting messages. The program begins in block  101  (FIG. 4A) message processing. Then the program goes to decision block  125 . Decision block  125  determines whether or not there are any very important messages to be processed. If block  125  determines that there are one or more very important messages, the program goes to block  126  to inform the user of the existence of the very important messages. Then the program goes to block  130 . If block  125  determines that there are no very important messages to be processed, the program goes to decision block  127 . Decision block  127  determines whether or not the user wants to read, view or listen to other stored messages. If block  127  determines that the user does not want to read other messages, the program goes to block  128  to return to the executive routine to determine if there are any new received messages in block  102  (FIG.  2 ). If block  127  determines that the user wants to read, view, or listen to other stored messages, the program goes to block  130 . Block  130  displays to the user: the type of message; the date and time of arrival of the message; and the author of the message. Block  130  will list the very important messages as the highest priority messages to be read, viewed, listened to, and resolved. Now the program goes to block  131  to allow the user to read, view, or listen to one or more messages. Block  131  will link the message to the appropriate application for reading the message or launching the application. Now the program goes to decision block  132 . Decision block  132  determines whether or not to forward the message(s). If block  132  determines to forward the message(s), the program goes to block  133  to forward the message to another user(s). The routing rules of FIG. 6 will be used to forward the message(s). Then the program goes to block  135 . If block  132  determines not to forward the message, the program goes to decision block  135 . 
     Decision block  135  determines whether or not to delete the message(s). If block  132  determines to delete the message(s), the program goes to block  136  to delete the message(s). Then the program goes to block  138 . If block  135  determines not to delete the message(s), the program goes to decision block  138 . Decision block  138  determines whether or not to store the message(s) with an expiration date. If block  138  determines to store the message(s) with an expiration date, the program goes to block  139  to store the message(s) with an expiration date. Then the program goes to block  140 . If block  138  determines not to set an expiration date, the program goes to block  140  resolution. 
     Block  140  (FIG. 4B) continues to process the received messages. Then the program goes to decision block  141 . Decision block  141  determines whether or not the message is a response to a previously responded to message. If block  141  determines the message is a response to a previously responded to message, the program goes to block  142  to update the sent message data base with this fact. Then the program goes to decision block  143 . If block  143  determines that another response to the message is not necessary, the program goes to return block  200 . Then the program returns to the executive routine to determine if there are any new received messages in block  102  (FIG.  2 ). If block  143  determines that another response to the message is necessary, the program goes to transmit information (message) block  105 . If block  141  determines the message is not a response to a previously responded to message, the program goes to decision block  144 . Decision block  144  determines whether or not the user wants to respond at all. If block  144  determines that the user does not want to respond, the program goes to block  201  to return to the executive routine to determine if there are any new received messages in block  102  (FIG.  2 ). If block  144  determines that the user wants to respond, the program goes to decision block  145 . Block  145  determines whether or not the user wants to respond now or later. If block  145  determines that the user wants to respond now, the program goes to transmit information (message) block  105 . If block  145  decides to respond later, the program will go to block  147  to set the date/time indicator which will notify the user when to respond. Then the program will go to block  202  to store the information (message) in “Message to be sent in the future data base”. Now the program will go to return block  203 , which returns to the execution routine to determine if there are any new received messages in block  102  (FIG.  2 ). 
     Decision block  146  will receive an input from transmit information (message) block  105 . Block  105  is also entered from executive routine block  104  if there is a need to send a message(s). Block  146  will determine if it is the right date/time to transmit a message that was stored. If block  146  determines that it is the proper date/time to send the message, the program will go to block  204  to obtain the message from the message to be sent in the future data base. If block  146  determines that the message is not the proper date/time to send a message, the program will go to block  148 . 
     Block  148  will decide the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message. The choice of media, i.e., delivery mechanism, determined by block  148  will be dependent upon: the performance of the media; compatibility to the recipient&#39;s media; the cost of delivering the message; and other user determined criteria. If block  148  decides that E-mail is the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  149  to launch the E-mail application. Then the program will go to the input of decision block  205 . If block  148  decides that the use of a document generation system (for hard copy output) is the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  150  to launch the word processing application. Now the program will go to block  206  to launch the print application, which may be the DocuMatch™ system. Then the program will go to the input of decision block  205 . If block  148  decides that facsimile is the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  151  to launch the facsimile application. Then the program will go to the input of decision block  205 . If block  148  decides that voice is the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  152  to launch the appropriate voice application. The appropriate voice application may be telephone, the internet, a voice response unit, real voice, synthesized voice, or any combination of the above. Then the program will go to the input of decision block  205 . If block  148  decides that video is the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  153  to launch the video application. The video application may transmit canned video responses or real tine video responses. Then the program will go to the input of decision block  205 . If block  148  decides that a memory card is the best media to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  154  to launch the memory card application. Then the program will go to the input of decision block  205 . If block  148  decides that a combination of all or some of the above mechanisms are desired to transmit a new message or respond to a received message, the program will go to block  208  to launch the applications for the selected combination (all combinations are possible). 
     Then the program will go to decision block  205 . Decision block  205  will determine whether or not to transmit a new message or send a response to a received message. If block  205  decides not to transmit or respond to the message the program will go to decision block  209 . Decision block  209  will determine whether or not to respond to other received messages. If block  209  decides not to respond to other received messages, the program will go to block  210  to return to the executive routine to determine the status of the already responded to messages in block  106  (FIG.  2 ). If block  209  decides to respond to other received messages, the program will go to block  105  transmit information. If block  205  decides to transmit or respond to the message, the program will go to block  212  to send the message. Then the program will go to block  213 . Block  213  will store in the sent message data base: the message recipient; the date and time the message was sent; the mechanism of transmitting the message; whether or not a return receipt was requested; and the message content. At this point the program will go to block  214  to return to the executive routine to determine the status of the already responded to messages in block  106  (FIG.  2 ). 
     Now the program goes to block  107  (FIG. 5) to review the status of the sent message(s). Then the program goes to block  170  to retrieve the messages and attributes stored in the sent message data base. The messages in the sent message data base will be stored first according to their very important message status and then by their type. Now the program will go to decision block  171 . Decision block  171  will determine whether or not to delete any messages. If block  171  decides to delete any messages, the program will go to delete the selected message(s). If block  171  decides not to delete any messages or block  172  has deleted one or more messages, the program will go to decision block  173 . Decision block  173  will determine whether or not to retransmit a follow up response to message(s) already responded to. If block  173  decides to retransmit a follow up response to message(s) already responded to, the program will go to block  174  to select the message(s) that is/are going to be responded to again. Then the program goes to block  105  to transmit the message(s). If block  173  decides not to retransmit a follow up response to message(s) already responded to, the program will go to block  167  to return to the executive routine to determine whether or not there are any very important messages in block  100  (FIG.  2 ). 
     FIG. 6 is an illustration of a priority table that depicts the automatic routing of received messages as a function of routing rules. 
     The above specification describes a new and improved integrated system and method for receiving, transmitting, and routing messages. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit. It is, therefore, intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.