Unified method of creating and processing fax forms

摘要

A method of operating a fax server apparatus including a computer and a FAX card which provides a unification of a FAX forms creation process and the creation of a template used for interpreting received FAX forms completed at a remote branch location. A FAX form is created using a forms creation module and subsequently both stored into memory as a template and selectively transmitted via a FAX card to FAX machines at remote branch locations. The FAX form has machine readable identification markings comprised of an unique dot pattern which are identified upon reception by the computer to retrieve from memory the corresponding form stored as the template for processing. The FAX form also includes machine readable reference marks recognized by the computer for orientating the received completed FAX form and correcting for distortions induced by electronic transmission of forms such as skewing and warping of images. This method provides an efficient and fast algorithm for interpreting received completed form with a reduced human intervention in the process.