Apparatus and method for creating images of small documents

• US 20020150311A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Imagetag, Inc. (enChoice, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Imagetag, Inc. (enChoice, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lynn, Eric R.
• Application Number:
  US10/161,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20020150311A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

According to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, an apparatus and method for creating digital images of small documents such as receipts and the like is disclosed. The invention incorporates a multi-layered document holder with a substantially transparent first layer at least partially connected to a second layer. By inserting small papers such as receipts and the like between the two layers, the document holder can be scanned and digital images of the documents sandwiched between the layers can be created.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a substantially transparent first layer;

a second layer;

a first attachment portion attaching at least a first portion of said substantially transparent first layer to said second layer; and

a second attachment portion, said second attachment portion selectively attaching at least a second portion of said substantially transparent first layer to said second layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second layer comprises a substantially opaque layer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one piece of paper sandwiched between said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said at least one piece of paper comprises a plurality of receipts.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a label affixed to said substantially transparent first layer, said label comprising a globally unique identifier.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising at least one piece of paper sandwiched between said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to said at least one processor;

a digital image of said label and said at least one piece of paper, said digital image residing in said memory;

a digital filing application residing in said memory and being executed by said at least one processor, said digital filing application extracting said globally unique identifier from said digital image, wherein said digital filing application uses said globally unique identifier to link said digital image to a computerized database record which was created prior to the creation of said digital image.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said digital filing application links said digital image to said database record by using at least a portion of said globally unique document number to create a file name for said digital image.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first attachment portion and said second attachment portion are non-contiguous.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer each define a size and wherein said size is 8½

by 11 inches.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one side of said substantially opaque second layer is coated with a repositionable adhesive.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said substantially transparent first layer is treated with an anti-static process.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

placing said document holder into a document input mechanism; and

creating a photocopy of said at least one piece of paper.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of placing at least one piece of paper between said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer comprises the step of placing a plurality of receipts between said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of affixing a label to said substantially transparent first layer, wherein said label comprises a globally unique identifier.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

affixing a label to said substantially transparent first layer, wherein said label comprises a globally unique identifier;

placing said document holder into a document input mechanism;

creating a digital image of said at least one piece of paper and said label;

extracting said globally unique identifier from said digital image; and

linking said digital image to a computerized database record which was created prior to the creation of said digital image.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of removing said at least one piece of paper from between said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer after creating said photocopy of said at least one piece of paper.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of storing said document holder in a file folder after creating said photocopy of said at least one piece of paper.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a document holder, said document holder comprising a substantially transparent first layer and a substantially opaque second layer, wherein said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer are partially attached by a first attachment portion;

lifting a corner of said substantially transparent first layer, thereby partially separating at least a portion of said substantially transparent first layer from a substantially opaque second layer;

placing at least one piece of paper between said substantially transparent first layer and said substantially opaque second layer; and

attaching said corner of said substantially transparent first layer to said substantially opaque second layer with a second attachment portion.

20. A method comprising the steps of:

placing at least one receipt between a substantially transparent first layer and a substantially opaque second layer;

affixing a label to said substantially transparent first layer, wherein said label comprises a globally unique identifier;

creating a record in a database describing said receipt;

processing said substantially transparent first layer, said substantially opaque second layer, said receipt and said label, thereby creating a digital image of said receipt and said label;

extracting said globally unique identifier from said digital image; and

storing said digital image, using said globally unique identifier to link said digital image to said record in said database.