1-23. (canceled)
24. A method for evaluating an image including:
providing an electronic image evaluating device;
providing at least one area sensor, having a maximally observable scanning area, in said electronic image evaluating device;
providing a plurality of light-sensitive pixels in said at least one area sensor, each of said pixels emitting an electrical output signal as a function of a light input signal received by each said pixel;
correlating a strength of each said electrical output signal with said light input signal received by each said pixel;
providing an evaluation unit;
using said evaluation unit for evaluating said electrical output signals as image information;
triggering said pixels in each said at least one area sensor selecting individually and as a group;
evaluating freely selectable signals of said maximally observable scanning area;
providing said image as a printed product;
providing a conveying arrangement in said electronic image evaluating device;
using said conveying arrangement for conveying said printed product past said at least one area sensor; and
selecting said signals of said maximally observable scanning area of said at least one area sensor as a function of a conveying movement of said printed product.
25. The method of claim 24 further including providing a plurality of said area sensors in said electronic image evaluating device.
26. The method of claim 24 further including providing an illumination device for said electronic image evaluating device.
27. The method of claim 26 further including providing said illumination device as a flash device generating flashes at a defined repeat frequency.
28. The method of claim 26 further including providing said illumination device as a full image shutter.
29. A method for evaluating an image including:
providing an electronic image evaluating device;
providing at least one area sensor, having a maximally observable scanning area, in said electronic image evaluating device;
providing a plurality of light-sensitive pixels in said at least one area sensor, each of said pixels emitting an electrical output signal as a function of a light input signal received by each said pixel;
correlating a strength of each said electrical output signal with said light input signal received by each said pixel;
providing an evaluation unit;
using said evaluation unit for evaluating said electrical output signals as image information;
triggering said pixels in each said at least one area sensor selecting individually and as a group;
evaluating freely selectable signals of said maximally observable scanning area;
providing said image as a printed product;
providing said printed product as a web of imprinted material imprinted with a repeating patter;
assigning a reference marker to each said pattern;
providing means for moving said web of material past said electronic image evaluating device; and
synchronizing said web movement past said electronic image evaluating device using said reference marker.
30. The method of claim 24 further including providing said maximally observable scanning area as a rectangle.
31. The method of claim 25 further including providing said maximally observable scanning area of each said area sensor as a rectangle.
32. The method of claim 25 further including providing said plurality of said area sensors having overlap areas of said maximally observable scanning areas.
33. The method of claim 25 further providing providing said maximally observable scanning areas of said plurality of area sensors as a rectangular total scanning area.
34. The method of claim 25 further including providing a support element and arranging said plurality of said area sensors on said support element.
35. The method of claim 24 further including providing an illumination arrangement in said electronic image evaluating device.
36. The method of claim 29 further including providing an illumination arrangement in said electronic image evaluating device.
37. The method of claim 35 further including providing said illumination arrangement as a flash illumination device.
38. The method of claim 36 further including providing said illumination arrangement as a flash illumination device.
39. The method of claim 37 further including providing said flash illumination device being capable of generating flashes at a defined repeating frequency.
40. The method of claim 38 further including providing said flash illumination device being capable of generating flashes at a defined repeating frequency.
41. The method of claim 24 further including providing a full image shutter in said electronic image evaluating device.
42. The method of claim 29 further including providing a full image shutter in said electronic image evaluating device.
43. The method of claim 24 further including using said electronic image evaluating device for checking a web having said printed product arranged as a repeating pattern and providing a reference marker assigned to each said pattern.
44. The method of claim 29 further including providing a sensor for synchronizing said electronic image evaluating device with movement of said web.
45. The method of claim 43 further including providing a sensor for synchronizing said electronic image evaluating device with movement of said web.
46. The method of claim 44 further including providing said sensor in said electronic image evaluating device.
47. The method of claim 45 further including providing said sensor in said electronic image evaluating device.
48. The method of claim 44 including providing said sensor separate from said electronic image device.
49. The method of claim 45 including providing said sensor separate from said electronic image device.
50. The method of claim 24 further including providing an optical device for said at least one area sensor.
51. The method of claim 29 further including providing an optical device for said at least one area sensor.
52. The method of claim 24 further including providing said at least one area sensor as a CMOS sensor.
53. The method of claim 29 further including providing said at least one area sensor as a CMOS sensor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A routing method for connecting a communication session based on an identifier of a first party to a location selected from multiple potential locations, the method comprising:
obtaining an identifier of a first party during a network communication session;
accessing a computer system to attempt to retrieve data based on the identifier to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria;
if the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the communication session is successful then connecting the network communication session to a selected location based on the retrieved data; and
if the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the communication session is unsuccessful then
(a) attempting to acquire data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria, and
(b) if the attempt to acquire data to permit connecting the communication session is successful then connecting the network communication session to a selected location based on the acquired data.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network communication session comprises one or both of a telephone call and an Internet network communication session.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining an identifier comprises one of: capturing ANI capture for a telephone call; capturing user-provided input including speech input or keypad input; obtaining a street address; obtaining an Internet address; obtaining an e-mail address; obtaining spatial information related to the first party; or obtaining coordinate information related to the first party.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing a computer system to attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises retrieving a store identifier previously associated with the first party identifier based on one or more precise geographic criteria.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing a computer system to attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises retrieving one or more of: a telephone number; address information; and spatial information.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one or more of: (a) determining if a polygon contains a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates; (b) determining a distance from a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates; and (c) determining if spatial information associated with the first party identifier matches an entry in a database of information for multiple potential locations.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the spatial information associated with the first party comprises an address, spatial coordinates, or at least a portion of a spatial key.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the spatial key comprises an interleaved latitude and longitude pair, a ZIP+4 code, a ZIP+6 code, an identifier derived from latitude and longitude, or an identifier derived from an address.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in pan on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises data that identifies a location associated with the identifier selected before initiation of the network communication session.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises data for use in a selection determination associated with the identifier to be made during the network communication session.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting for a confirmation from the first party associated with data retrieved based on the identifier and determining that the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the communication session is successful if a confirmation is received from the first party.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session is successful if data is retrieved based on the identifier.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session is successful if data is retrieved based on the identifier that identifies a location selected before initiation of the network communication session from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session is successful if data is retrieved based on the identifier that permits a determination to be made during the network communication session of a selected location from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein attempting to acquire data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises retrieving address information associated with the identifier.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein attempting to acquire data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one ore more of: retrieving spatial information associated with the identifier; using a live operator to obtain information from the first party during the network communication session; using an interactive voice response unit to obtain information from the first party during the network communication session; receiving spoken address information from the first party, and receiving spoken telephone number information from the first party.
17. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the computer system based on the acquired data if the attempt to acquire data to permit connecting the communication session is successful.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein updating the computer system based on the acquired data comprises updating an existing database record associated with the identifier.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein updating the computer system based on the acquired data comprises creating a new database record associated with the identifier.
20. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the first party to order a product or service from the selected location during the communication session.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the product or service comprises pizza.
22. A routing method of connecting first parties to selected locations over a network comprising:
obtaining an identifier of a first party during a network communication session;
accessing a computer system to retrieve data based on the identifier, the retrieved data providing information to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria;
determining if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is retrieved;
if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is not retrieved then
(a) obtaining an address associated with the first party, and
(b) using the obtained address to identify information to permit selection of a location to which to connect the network communication session based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria; and
connecting the network communication session to a selected location.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the network comprises one or both of a telephony network and an Internet network.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein capturing an identifier comprises one of: capturing a telephone number by ANI capture for a telephone call; capturing user-provided input including speech input or keypad input; obtaining a street address; obtaining an Internet address; obtaining an e-mail address; obtaining spatial information related to the first party; or obtaining coordinate information related to the first party.
25. The method of claim 22 wherein the information to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria considerations comprises a store identifier previously assigned based on one or more precise geographic criteria.
26. The method of claim 22 wherein the information to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one or more of: a telephone number; address information; spatial information; coordinate information; and a spatial key.
27. The method of claim 22 wherein determining if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is retrieved comprises a receiving a confirmation from the first party.
28. The method of claim 22 wherein determining if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is retrieved comprises determining the data is sufficient if a database includes a pre-existing entry that correlates to the captured identifier to a to a location selected from multiple locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.
29. The method of claim 22 wherein obtaining an address comprises: receiving spoken address information from the first party or accessing a computer system to retrieve one or more of street address information associated with the identifier, Internet address information associated with the identifier, and spatial coordinate information associated with the identifier.
30. The method of claim 22 wherein connecting the network communication session comprises connecting over one or both of a telephony network and an Internet network to a selected location.
31. The method of claim 22, further comprising performing one or both of a point-in-polygon determination and a radius-based calculation to identify information to permit selection of a location for to which to connect the network communication session.
32. The method of claim 22, further comprising enabling the first party to order a product or service from the selected location during the communication session.
33. The Method of claim 32, wherein the product or service includes pizza.
34. The Method of claim 22, wherein if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is not retrieved then using one or both of a live operator and interactive voice response technology to obtain information from the first party.
35. The Method of claim 22, further comprising updating the computer system based on the obtained address by either creating a new database record or updating an existing database record if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is not retrieved.
36. A system for connecting a first party network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations comprising:
a computer system configured to capture an identifier of a first party during a network communication session;
a module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier, the data providing information for connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or mare precise geographic criteria, the module further configured (a) to connect the network communication session to a selected location if the attempt to retrieve data for connecting the communication session is successful, and (b) to transfer the network communication session to an exception handler if the attempt to retrieve data for connecting the communication session is unsuccessful; and
an exception handler configured to acquire data from the first party for connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.
37. The System of claim 36 wherein the first party identifier comprises one of ANI, a telephone number, an Internet address, an e-mail address, a Street address, spatial information, and spatial coordinate information.
38. The system of claim 36 wherein the network communication session comprises one or more of a telephone call and an Internet communication session.
39. The system of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to retrieve a store identifier previously associated with the captured identifier based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.
40. The system of claim 36 wherein the one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one or more of: (a) determining if a polygon contains a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates; (b) determining a distance from a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates; and (c) determining if spatial information associated with the first party identifier matches an entry in a database of information for multiple potential locations.
41. The system of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to retrieve spatial information associated with the captured identifier.
42. The System of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to perform a spatial computation to validate a correlation between the captured identifier and the data retrieved based on the captured identifier.
43. The System of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to prompt the first party to provide information to validate the data retrieved based on the captured identifier.
44. The System of claim 36 wherein the exception handler is configured to retrieve address information from a computer system based on the data acquired from the first party.
45. The System of claim 36 wherein the exception handler is configured to transfer control to one or both of a live operator and an interactive voice response unit to acquire data from the first party.
46. The System of claim 44 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the identifier is configured to retrieve data from a database and the exception handler is configured to update the database based on the data acquired from the first party.
47. A system for connecting a first party network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations comprising:
a database including pro-existing assignments for multiple first parties, each of the multiple first parties having previously been associated with a location selected from multiple potential locations based on geographic criteria; and
a computer system configured to
capture an identifier of a first party dining a network communication session,
retrieve data from the database based on the captured identifier,
to handle exceptions by (a) acquiring data from the first party during the network communication session, (b) using the acquired data to select a location from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria, and (c) updating the database based on the acquired data, and
to connect the first party network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations.
48. The System of claim 47 wherein the first party identifier is a telephone number.
49. The System of claim 47 wherein the database including pre-existing assignments for multiple first parties comprises a database that associates customer identifiers with store identifiers.
50. The System of claim 49 wherein the customer identifier is a telephone number, a street address, an Internet address, a postal code, or a customer number.
51. The System of claim 47, further comprising a module configured to prompt the first party to confirm information based on the data retrieved from the database.
52. The System of claim 47 wherein the computer system is configured to acquire a telephone number, a street address, a postal code, or a customer number.