Apparatus and method for configuration of an electronic device using a scanned configuration sheet

• US 20030236973A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Skurdal, Vincent C., Garrison, Terry James, Nelson, Marvin Duane, Brown, Mark Louis
• Granted Patent: US 7,003,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/507 being interleaved with the original or directly written on he original, e.g. using a control sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID

Abstract

An electronic device includes a scanning device for converting one or more configuration symbols on a printed medium into scan data. The scanning device is capable of scanning a configuration sheet and creating the scan data, including the one or more configuration symbols. The electronic device further includes a configuration device that receives the scan data and is capable of extracting the one or more configuration symbols to create one or more corresponding address-independent configuration values. The configuration device is further capable of configuring the electronic device with the one or more address-independent configuration values.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a scanning means for converting one or more configuration symbols on a printed medium into scan data; and

a configuration means for configuring said electronic device, with said configuration means receiving said scan data;

wherein said scanning means is capable of scanning a configuration sheet, creating said scan data including said one or more configuration symbols, and wherein said configuration means is capable of extracting said one or more configuration symbols to create one or more corresponding address-independent configuration values and configuring said electronic device with said one or more address-independent configuration values.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said electronic device further identifies a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets as part of the extracting step.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface capable of accepting user inputs and generating visual outputs.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a printer.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a copier.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a facsimile.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface capable of conducting digital communication.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said configuration means prompts a user to scan said configuration sheet.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said configuration sheet comprises a human-readable configuration sheet.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said one or more configuration symbols comprise encoded configuration information.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said one or more configuration symbols comprise compressed configuration information.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, with a configuration sheet of said one or more configuration sheets comprising:

a printable medium;

one or more configuration symbols formed on said printable medium;

one or more alignment marks formed on said printable medium; and

one or more identification marks that identify a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets;

wherein a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein a location of a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein an alignment mark of said one or more alignment marks is formed substantially in a corner region of said configuration sheet.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein an alignment mark of said one or more alignment marks is non-symmetric.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein said one or more identification marks are used to identify a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said electronic device auto-detects a scanned configuration sheet.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a scanner capable of scanning a printed medium and generating scan data including one or more configuration symbols;

a memory including one or more configuration settings, a configuration symbol extraction routine, and a configuration mapping data structure; and

a processor communicating with said memory and said scanner and receiving said scan data;

wherein said processor is capable of extracting said one or more configuration symbols using said configuration symbol extraction routine and said configuration mapping data structure in order to create one or more corresponding address-independent configuration values and configuring said electronic device with said one or more address-independent configuration values.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said electronic device further identifies a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets as part of the extracting step.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a user interface capable of accepting user inputs and generating visual outputs.

21. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a printer.

22. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a copier.

23. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a facsimile.

24. The electronic device of claim 18, further comprising a communication interface capable of conducting digital communication.

25. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said configuration mapping data structure maps a predetermined configuration symbol to a corresponding predetermined configuration value.

26. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said configuration mapping data structure comprises a table.

27. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said configuration means prompts a user to scan said configuration sheet.

28. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said configuration sheet comprises a human-readable configuration sheet.

29. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said one or more configuration symbols comprise encoded configuration information.

30. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said one or more configuration symbols comprise compressed configuration information.

31. The electronic device of claim 18, with a configuration sheet of said one or more configuration sheets comprising:

a printable medium;

one or more configuration symbols formed on said printable medium;

one or more alignment marks formed on said printable medium; and

one or more identification marks that identify a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets;

wherein a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

32. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein a location of a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

33. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein an alignment mark of said one or more alignment marks is formed substantially in a corner region of said configuration sheet.

34. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein an alignment mark of said one or more alignment marks is non-symmetric.

35. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein said one or more identification marks are used to identify a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets.

36. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said electronic device auto-detects a scanned configuration sheet.

37. A configuration method for an electronic device that includes a scanner, comprising the steps of:

scanning a configuration sheet to create scan data including one or more configuration symbols;

extracting said one or more configuration symbols to create one or more corresponding configuration values; and

configuring said electronic device with said one or more address-independent configuration values.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the extracting step further comprises mapping a configuration symbol of said one or more configuration symbols to a configuration value.

39. The method of claim 37, with the extracting step further comprising the steps of:

locating one or more alignment marks on said configuration sheet;

registering said configuration sheet using said one or more alignment marks;

locating one or more identification marks on said configuration sheet; and

identifying said configuration sheet as being a particular configuration sheet of said one or more configuration sheets using said one or more identification marks.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the extracting step further comprises decoding said scan data.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein the extracting step further comprises decompressing said scan data.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein the configuring step further comprises regionalizing said electronic device.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein the configuring step further comprises configuring a language of said electronic device.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein the configuring step further comprises configuring fonts of said electronic device.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein said configuration sheet comprises:

a printable medium;

one or more configuration symbols formed on said printable medium;

one or more alignment marks formed on said printable medium; and

one or more identification marks that identify a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets;

wherein a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein a location of a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

47. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of auto-detecting a scanned configuration sheet.

48. A configuration method for an electronic device that includes a scanner, comprising the steps of:

determining whether said electronic device is configured;

prompting a scan of one or more configuration sheets if said electronic device is not configured;

scanning a configuration sheet to create scan data including one or more configuration symbols;

extracting said one or more configuration symbols to create one or more corresponding address-independent configuration values; and

configuring said electronic device with said one or more address-independent configuration values.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

checking a configuration variable; and

prompting said scan if said configuration variable contains an unconfigured state value.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

detecting a power-up of said electronic device;

checking a configuration state; and

prompting said scan if said configuration state contains an unconfigured state value.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the scanning step auto-detects a scanned configuration sheet.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the configuring step further comprises regionalizing said electronic device.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the configuring step further comprises configuring a language of said electronic device.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the configuring step further comprises configuring fonts of said electronic device.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein the extracting step further comprises mapping a configuration symbol of said one or more configuration symbols to a configuration value.

56. The method of claim 48, with the extracting step further comprising the steps of:

locating one or more alignment marks on said configuration sheet;

registering said configuration sheet using said one or more alignment marks;

locating one or more identification marks on said configuration sheet; and

identifying said configuration sheet as being a particular configuration sheet of said one or more configuration sheets using said one or more identification marks.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein the extracting step further comprises decoding said scan data.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein the extracting step further comprises decompressing said scan data.

59. The method of claim 48, wherein said configuration sheet comprises:

a printable medium;

one or more configuration symbols formed on said printable medium;

one or more alignment marks formed on said printable medium; and

one or more identification marks that identify a particular configuration sheet of one or more configuration sheets;

wherein a configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein a location of said configuration symbol on said printable medium specifies one or more predetermined, address-independent configuration values.