Network on-ramp system and method

• US 20020120777A1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mart, Loren R., Jensen, Michael W., Burns, William D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network device configured to be coupled to a network having an e-mail server receives a plurality of input data items from a plurality of input sources in a plurality of input formats. The network device outputs a plurality of output data items in a plurality of output formats to the network. The network device includes a plurality of input/output ports configured to be coupled to the plurality of input sources. The plurality of input data items are received by the network device through the plurality of input/output ports. The network device includes an input device for entering destination information and output format information for each of the plurality of input data items. An interface bridge is coupled to the plurality of input/output ports. The interface bridge receives the plurality of input data items from the plurality of input/output ports and outputs the plurality of input data items using a single output protocol. A controller is coupled to the interface bridge. The controller receives the plurality of input data items from the interface bridge. The controller automatically converts each of the input data items to an output data item based on the entered destination and output format information, and automatically outputs the output data items to the network.

Claims

1. A network device configured to be coupled to a network having an e-mail server, the network device receiving a plurality of input data items from a plurality of input sources in a plurality of input formats, the network device outputting a plurality of output data items in a plurality of output formats to the network, the network device comprising:

a plurality of input/output ports configured to be coupled to the plurality of input sources, the plurality of input data items received by the network device through the plurality of input/output ports;

an input device for entering destination information and output format information for each of the plurality of input data items;

an interface bridge coupled to the plurality of input/output ports, the interface bridge receiving the plurality of input data items from the plurality of input/output ports and outputting the plurality of input data items using a single output protocol; and

a controller coupled to the interface bridge, the controller receiving the plurality of input data items from the interface bridge, the controller automatically converting each of the input data items to an output data item based on the entered destination and output format information, and automatically outputting the output data items to the network.

2. The network device of claim 1, and further comprising a permanent network connection to the e-mail server of the network.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of input data items received by the network device through the plurality of input/output ports are received using a plurality of input communication protocols.

4. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network device outputs the plurality of output data items in a plurality of output formats to the network using a standard Internet protocol.

5. The network device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of input/output ports is a removable module.

6. The network device of claim 4, and further comprising a network bridge coupled to the controller, and at least one network port coupled to the network bridge, the network port also coupled to the network, the network bridge receiving the plurality of output data items from the controller, the network bridge outputting the plurality of output data items to the network port using an appropriate network communication protocol and the standard Internet protocol.

7. The network device of claim 6, wherein the network port is a removable module.

8. The network device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of output data items are in a plurality of output file formats.

9. The network device of claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of network ports.

10. The network device of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of network ports is a removable module.

11. The network device of claim 9, wherein the network bridge is configured to output the plurality of output data items to a selected one of the network ports using a selected one of a plurality of network communication protocols and a standard Internet protocol.

12. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network further comprises an internet fax server, and wherein a first one of the output data items is in a format compatible with the internet fax server for internet fax transmission of the first output data item, the controller automatically outputting the first output data item to the internet fax server over the network.

13. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network further comprises a first computer configured to transmit fax communications via a telephone line, and wherein a first one of the output data items is in a format compatible with the first computer for telephone fax transmission of the first output data item, the controller automatically outputting the first output data item to the first computer over the network.

14. The network device of claim 1, wherein a first one of the output data items is an e-mail communication with a first one of the input data items included as an attachment to the e-mail communication, the controller automatically outputting the e-mail communication to the e-mail server over the network.

15. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network further comprises a JetSend enabled device, and wherein a first one of the output data items is in a format compatible with the JetSend enabled device, the controller automatically outputting the first output data item to the JetSend enabled device over the network.

16. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network further comprises a network printer, and wherein a first one of the output data items is in a format compatible with the network printer, the controller automatically outputting the first output data item to the network printer over the network.

17. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network further comprises a first computer running a first software application, and wherein a first one of the output data items is in a format compatible with the first software application, the controller automatically outputting the first output data item to the first computer over the network for automatic import into the first software application.

19. The method recited in claim 18, and further comprising providing a permanent network connection to the e-mail server of the computer network.

18. A method of automatically transferring data received in a plurality of input formats from a plurality of input sources to a computer network in a plurality of output formats without requiring a user to input the data into a personal computer, the computer network including an e-mail server, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of input/output ports configured to be coupled to a plurality of input sources;

receiving an input data item through a first one of the input/output ports from a first one of the plurality of input sources;

receiving destination information for the input data item;

receiving output format information for the input data item;

automatically converting the input data item to an output data item based on the received output format information and destination information; and

automatically outputting the output data item to the network.

20. A network device configured to be coupled to a network, the network device receiving a plurality of input data items from a plurality of input sources in a plurality of input formats, the network device outputting a plurality of output data items in a plurality of output formats to the network, the network device comprising:

a plurality of input/output ports configured to be coupled to the plurality of input sources, the plurality of input data items received by the network device through the plurality of input/output ports;

an input device for entering destination information and output format information for each of the plurality of input data items;

an interface bridge coupled to the plurality of input/output ports, the interface bridge receiving the plurality of input data items from the plurality of input/output ports;

a controller coupled to the interface bridge, the controller receiving the plurality of input data items from the interface bridge, the controller automatically converting each of the input data items to an output data item based on the entered destination and output format information;

a network bridge coupled to the controller; and

a network port coupled to the network bridge and to the network, the network bridge receiving the plurality of output data items from the controller, the network bridge outputting the plurality of output data items to the network through the network port.