System and method for controlling a profile's lifetime in a limited memory store device

• US 20030154218A1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Eden, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 6,718,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The present invention is an improved process for creating and storing profiles, that automatically removes infrequently used profiles in the store. A method is provided for maintaining profiles in a device store, for such devices as multifunction printers (MFPs), wireless communications devices, and answering machines. The method comprises: setting a profile type; selecting profile parameters such as destinations and processes; adding the profile to a device store; and, in response to creating the profile, limiting the lifetime of the profile in the device store.

Setting a profile type includes selecting a profile from the group including time aging profiles, single-use profiles, renewable profiles, and permanent profiles. When a time aging profile is chosen, a time-to-live (TTL) variable, referenced to the creation of the profile, is also selected. Then, the profile is purged from the store when the TTL variable expires. When a single-use profile is chosen, the profile is purged from the store after the profile is used a first time. When a renewable profile is chosen, a TTL variable is selected that is reset in response to using the profile. The profile is purged from the store if the TTL variable expires. When a permanent profile is chosen, the profile is purged from the store in response to explicit commands to delete the profile.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining profiles in a device store, the method comprising:

creating a profile;

adding the profile to a device store; and

,

in response to creating the profile, limiting the lifetime of the profile in the device store.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein creating a profile includes creating profile parameters selected from the group including destinations and processes.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the device is a wireless communications device;

wherein creating profile destination parameters includes creating destination parameters selected from the group including telephone numbers and email addresses; and

,

wherein adding the profile to a device store includes adding the profile parameter telephone numbers and email addresses to the wireless communications device store.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein creating profile destination parameters includes creating destination parameters selected from the group including IP addresses, telephone numbers, names, and email addresses.

5. The method of claim 2 in which the device is a printer;

wherein creating profile process parameters includes creating process parameters selected from the group including printing, scanning, and faxing.

6. The method of claim 5 adding the profile to a device store includes adding the profile destination and process parameters to the printing device store;

and

the method further comprising;

in response to the profile, processing a document at the printing device.

7. The method of claim 2 in which the device is a personal digital assistant (PDA);

wherein creating profile process parameters includes creating profile process parameters selected from the group including text data and voice messages;

wherein creating profile destination parameters includes creating profile destination parameters selected from the group including phone numbers and email addresses; and

,

wherein adding the profile to a device store includes adding the profile destination and process parameters to the PDA device store.

8. The method of claim 2 in which the device is a telephone answering machine;

wherein creating profile process parameters includes creating voice message profile process parameters; and

,

wherein adding the profile to a device store includes adding the profile process parameters to the phone answering machine store.

9. The method of claim 2 in which the device is a global positioning satellite (GPS) navigational device;

wherein creating profile destination parameters includes creating profile destination parameters selected from geographical landmarks and street addresses; and

,

wherein adding the profile to a device store includes adding the profile destination parameters to the GPS navigational device store.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

setting a profile type;

wherein adding the profile to a device store includes adding a profile lifetime as a profile parameter; and

,

wherein limiting the lifetime of the profile in store includes limiting the lifetime of the profile in response to the profile lifetime parameter.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein setting a profile type includes selecting a profile from the group including time aging profiles, single-use profiles, renewable profiles, and permanent profiles.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein setting a profile type includes selecting a time aging profile;

and

the method further comprising;

selecting a time-to-live (TTL) variable referenced to the creation of the profile; and

,

wherein limiting the lifetime of the profile in store includes purging the profile from the store when the TTL variable expires.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein setting a profile type includes selecting a single-use profile;

the method further comprising;

using the profile a first time; and

wherein limiting the lifetime of the profile includes purging the profile from the store after the profile is used a first time.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein setting a profile type includes selecting a renewable profile;

and

the method further comprising;

selecting a TTL variable that is reset in response to using the profile; and

,

wherein limiting the lifetime of the profile includes purging the profile from the store if the TTL variable expires.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein setting a profile type includes selecting a permanent profile;

and

wherein limiting the lifetime of the profile includes purging the profile from the store in response to explicit delete operations.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

establishing a network connection with a host server having a plurality of profile types;

wherein setting a profile type includes;

accessing the host server;

selecting an offered profile type;

downloading profile parameters and profile type variables; and

,

selecting profile parameters and the profile type variables to create a profile.

17. A profile-using device with limited memory comprising:

an application for creating limited lifetime profiles; and

,

a device store for storing the limited lifetime profiles.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the application creates profiles with parameters selected from the group including destinations and processes.

19. The device of claim 18 in which the device is a wireless communications device;

wherein the application creates profile destination parameters selected from the group including telephone numbers and email addresses; and

,

wherein the wireless device store includes telephone number and email address profile destination parameters.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein the application creates profile destination parameters selected from the group including IP addresses, telephone numbers, names, and email addresses.

21. The device of claim 18 wherein the application creates profile process parameters selected from the group including printing, scanning, and faxing.

22. The device of claim 21 in which the device is a printing device;

wherein the printing device store includes printing, scanning, and faxing profile process parameters; and

,

the device further comprising;

a paper processing unit to supply document printouts in response to profiles in the printing device store.

23. The device of claim 18 in which the device is a personal digital assistant (PDA);

wherein the application creates profile process parameters selected from the group including text data and voice messages;

wherein the application creates profile destination parameters selected from the group including phone numbers and email addresses; and

,

wherein PDA store includes the profile destination and process parameters.

24. The device of claim 18 in which the device is a phone answering machine;

wherein the application creates profile process parameters selected from the group including voice messages; and

,

wherein the phone answering machine store includes the voice message profile process parameters.

25. 1The device of claim 18 in which the device is in a global positioning satellite (GPS) navigational device;

wherein the application creates profile destination parameters selected from geographical landmarks and street addresses; and

,

wherein the navigational device store includes the geographical landmark and street address profile destination parameters.

26. The device of claim 18 further comprising:

a display connected to the application;

wherein the application creates a graphical user interface (GUI) dialog box for setting a profile type and for selecting profile parameters, the application limiting the lifetime of the profile in response to GUI prompts on the display.

27. The device of claim 26 wherein the GUI generates profile types selecting from the group including time aging profiles, single-use profiles, renewable profiles, and permanent profiles;

wherein the application creates a profile lifetime parameter in response to the set profile type; and

,

wherein the device store stores the profile lifetime parameter.

28. The device of claim 27 in which a time aging profile is picked in response to GUI prompts;

wherein the GUI generates prompts to select a time-to-live (TTL) variable, referenced to the creation of the profile; and

,

wherein the application purges the profile from the store when the TTL variable expires.

29. The device of claim 27 in which a single-use profile is picked in response to GUI prompts;

wherein the application purges the profile from the store after the profile is used a first time.

30. The device of claim 27 in which a renewable profile is picked in response to GUI prompts;

wherein the GUI supplies prompts to select a TTL variable that is reset in response to using the profile; and

,

wherein the application purges the profile from the store if the TTL variable expires.

31. The device of claim 27 in which a permanent profile is selected in response to GUI prompts;

wherein the GUI supplies prompts to explicitly delete permanent profiles; and

wherein the application purges the profile from the store in response to an explicit delete operation.

32. The device of claim 27 further comprising:

a connection for accessing a network host server with a plurality of profile types;

wherein the GUI supplies prompts in response to the profile types and profile parameters offered by the accessed host server;

wherein the application downloads profile parameters and type variables from the host server in response to the GUI prompts; and

,

wherein the GUI supplies prompts to select the profile variables.