Scanner-initiated network-based image input scanning

• US 20030046445A1
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Conway, Wendy A., Witt, Aaron S., Proscia, Stephen R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability

Abstract

An image input scanner sends image data derived from scanned hard-copy documents directly to the network address of a destination computer which is selected at a user interface of the scanner. A driver at the destination computer activates an image acquisition program when image data is detected in a target location in memory. The driver also ensures that incoming image data originates from an authorized scanner or other device. The driver enables scanning operations to be initiated at the scanner, and also avoids a need for a scan server between the scanner and the computer.

Claims

1. A method of scanning a document, comprising the steps of:

recording, at a scanner, the document to yield digital image data;

entering destination information relating to a destination computer to which the digital image data is desired to be sent;

sending the image data to the destination computer; and

the destination computer initiating an image acquisition program in response to detecting the image data at the destination port.

2. The method of claim 1, the entering step further comprising entering destination file information relating to a destination file in the destination computer to which the digital image data is desired to be sent.

3. The method of claim 1, the sending step having no intermediate computer associated therewith.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination computer performs no polling through a port to detect image data.

5. The method of claim 1, the entering step occurring at the scanner.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the destination computer initiating an image management program in response to detecting the image data at the destination port.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition program emulates functions of a digital camera.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing image data to be sent to the target location if a network address associated with the scanner is ona list of approved network addresses asociated with the destination computer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of indicating that a network address associated with the scanner is not on a list of approved network addresses associated with the destination computer.

10. A driver for use in a computer adapted to accept image data over a network, the computer comprising a port and means for directing image data received at the port to a target location in memory, the driver comprising:

means for polling the target location in memory; and

means for initiating an image acquisition program in response to detecting image data in the target location.

11. The driver of claim 10, wherein the image acquisition program is Microsoft®

Windows™

Image Acquisition Scanner and Camera Wizard, and the activating means sends an “

image scanned event”

signal.

12. The driver of claim 10, wherein the activating means activates a further application in response to detecting image data in the target location.

13. The driver of claim 10, further comprising a list of network addresses of approved external devices.

14. The driver of claim 13, further comprising means for comparing a network address received at the port to the list of approved network addresses.

15. The driver of claim 14, further comprising means for allowing image data to be sent to the target location if the network address received at the port is on the list of approved network addresses.

16. The driver of claim 14, further comprising means for indicating that a network address received at the port is not on the list of approved network addresses.