System and method of adding messages to a scanned image

• US 20040070614A1
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoberock, Tim Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 7,586,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3871 the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals

Abstract

A method of annotating a document on a scanner while generating an electronic representation of that document preferably includes: receiving an electronic representation of a hardcopy document from a scanner bed of the scanner, receiving material to be added to a scanned document from a user interface integrated with the scanner, and adding the material from the user interface to the electronic representation of the hardcopy document to produce an annotated electronic document.

Claims

1. A scanner for generating an electronic representation of a hardcopy document, said scanner comprising:

a scanner bed;

a user interface for inputting material to be added to a scanned document; and

a processor for receiving an electronic representation of a hardcopy document from said scanner bed and said material to be added to said to a scanned document from said user interface;

wherein said processor adds said material from said user interface to said electronic representation of the hardcopy document to produce an annotated electronic document.

2. The scanner of claim 1, further comprising a connection to a printer for outputting said annotated electronic document for printing.

3. The scanner of claim 1, wherein said user interface comprises a touch screen.

4. The scanner of claim 3, wherein said user interface further comprises a stylus.

5. The scanner of claim 3, wherein said processor displays an image of the hardcopy document on said touch screen using said electronic representation of the hardcopy document from the scanner bed.

6. The scanner of claim 5, wherein said user can added said material at any point of said displayed image of said hardcopy document and said processor will add that material at a corresponding location within said annotated electronic document.

7. The scanner of claim 1, wherein said scanner is incorporated into a facsimile machine, said facsimile machine comprising a print engine for printing a hardcopy documents.

8. The scanner of claim 1, wherein said processor adds said material from said user interface to a designated field within said annotated electronic document.

9. The scanner of claim 1, wherein said scanner bed is a flat scanner.

10. The scanner of claim 9, wherein said user interface comprises a touch screen disposed on a lid of the flat scanner.

11. The scanner of claim 1, wherein said scanner bed is a rotary scanner.

12. A method of annotating a document on a scanner while generating an electronic representation of that document, said method comprising:

receiving an electronic representation of a hardcopy document from a scanner bed of said scanner;

receiving material to be added to a scanned document from a user interface integrated with said scanner; and

adding said material from said user interface to said electronic representation of the hardcopy document to produce an annotated electronic document.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising printing said annotated electronic document with a printer connected to said scanner.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said user interface comprises a touch screen and said method further comprises entering said material to be added to the scanned document by operating the touch screen.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein entering said material further comprises writing or drawings on said touch screen with a stylus.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying an image of the hardcopy document on a display device of said user interface.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying said image on a touch screen of said user interface.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

entering said material to be added with a stylus at any point on the displayed image of the hardcopy document; and

adding said material to a corresponding location within said annotated electronic document.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said scanner is incorporated into a facsimile machine, said method further comprising transmitting said annotated electronic document as a facsimile.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising adding said material from said user interface to a designated field within said annotated electronic document.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting said material from a menu of pre-established messages or graphics using the user interface.

29. The device of claim 21, wherein said means for receiving material to be added to the scanned document comprise any of a display device, a keyboard, a keypad, a trackpad, a trackball, an electronic pen, or a mouse.

22. A device for annotating a document on a scanner while generating an electronic representation of that document, said device comprising:

means for generating an electronic representation of a hardcopy document;

means for receiving material to be added to a scanned document from a user;

means for adding said material to said electronic representation of the hardcopy document to produce an annotated electronic document; and

a single device housing for containing and supporting all of said means.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising means for printing said annotated electronic document.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein said means for receiving material to be added to the scanned document comprise a touch screen.

25. The device of claim 22, further comprising means for displaying an image of the hardcopy document while said means for receiving material to be added are being operated.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising:

means for entering said material at any particular point on the displayed image of the hardcopy document; and

means for adding said material to a corresponding location within said annotated electronic document.

27. The device of claim 22, further comprising means for transmitting said annotated electronic document as a facsimile.

28. The device of claim 22, further comprising means for adding said material from said user interface to a designated field within said annotated electronic document.

30. A set of computer-readable instructions stored on a medium for storing computer readable instructions, said instructions, when executed by a processor of a scanner, causing the processor to:

receive an electronic representation of a hardcopy document from a scanner bed of the scanner;

receive material to be added to a scanned document from a user interface integrated with the scanner; and

add said material from said user interface to said electronic representation of the hardcopy document to produce an annotated electronic document.

31. The instructions of claim 30, further causing the processor to output said annotated electronic document to a printer connected to the scanner.

32. The instructions of claim 30, further causing the processor to display an image of the hardcopy document on a display device of the user interface.

33. The instructions of claim 32, further causing the processor to add said material to said annotated electronic document at a location corresponding to a location on the displayed image of the hardcopy document referenced during input of said material.

34. The instructions of claim 30, further causing the processor to transmit said annotated electronic document as a facsimile.

35. The instructions of claim 30, further causing the processor to add said material from said user interface to a designated field within said annotated electronic document.