Document distribution to mobile computing device

• US 20040205453A1
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mortensen, Sterling
• Application Number:
  US09/941,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205453A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1512 Print-to a presentation device other than a printer, e.g. e-reader, e-paper, tablet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A system and method of distributing an electronic document to a mobile computing device including a display includes translating a data file of the electronic document into a translated data file for the electronic document, transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device, and displaying the electronic document on the display of the mobile computing device. As such, translating the data file of the electronic document into the translated data file includes identifying a print format of the electronic document and displaying the electronic document on the mobile computing device includes converting the translated data file for the electronic document into display instructions for the electronic document and displaying the electronic document based on the display instructions in accordance with the print format.

Claims

1. A method of distributing an electronic document to a mobile computing device including a display, the method comprising the steps of:

translating a data file of the electronic document into a translated data file for the electronic document, including identifying a print format of the electronic document;

transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device; and

displaying the electronic document on the display of the mobile computing device, including converting the translated data file for the electronic document into display instructions for the electronic document and displaying the electronic document based on the display instructions in accordance with the print format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the print format of the electronic document includes identifying at least one of a page margin, a page layout, a paper orientation, and a paper size for the electronic document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the data file includes translating the data file of the electronic document into an exchange file format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the data file includes translating the data file of the electronic document into the translated data file for the electronic document via a printer driver.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of translating the data file includes translating the data file of the electronic document at a computer including the printer driver and having the data file of the electronic document stored therein.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device from the computer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

linking the mobile computing device and the computer via a communication link, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device from the computer via the communication link.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of translating the data file includes translating the data file of the electronic document into print instructions for the electronic document and converting the print instructions into the translated data file for the electronic document.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein translating the data file of the electronic document into the print instructions includes translating the data file of the electronic document into the print instructions for the electronic document via a printer driver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein translating the data file of the electronic document into the print instructions includes translating the data file of the electronic document into the print instructions for the electronic document at a computer including the printer driver and having the data file of the electronic document stored therein.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

transferring the print instructions for the electronic document to a printer, wherein converting the print instructions into the translated data file includes converting the print instructions into the translated data file for the electronic document at the printer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device from the printer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

linking the mobile computing device and the printer via a communication link, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device from the printer via the communication link.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

identifying an address of the mobile computing device, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the address of the mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device via a computer associated with the mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of transferring the translated data file includes transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the computer, and further comprising the step of:

synchronizing the mobile computing device with the computer, including transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device from the computer.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of distributing an electronic document to a mobile computing device including a display, the method comprising:

translating a data file of the electronic document into a translated data file for the electronic document, including identifying a print format of the electronic document;

transferring the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device; and

displaying the electronic document on the display of the mobile computing device, including converting the translated data file for the electronic document into display instructions for the electronic document and displaying the electronic document based on the display instructions in accordance with the print format.

18. A system for distributing an electronic document to a mobile computing device including a display, the system comprising:

a processor adapted to translate a data file of the electronic document into a translated data file for the electronic document; and

a communication link configured to link the processor and the mobile computing device,

wherein the translated data file includes a print format of the electronic document, wherein the processor is adapted to transfer the translated data file to the mobile computing device via the communication link, and wherein the mobile computing device is adapted to convert the translated data file into display instructions for the electronic document and the display of the mobile computing device is adapted to display the electronic document based on the display instructions in accordance with the print format.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the print format of the electronic document includes at least one of a page margin, a page layout, a paper orientation, and a paper size of the electronic document.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the translated data file of the electronic document includes an exchange file format.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is adapted to translate the data file of the electronic document into the translated data file for the electronic document via a printer driver.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is part of a computer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the communication link is configured to link the computer and the mobile computing device, and wherein the computer is adapted to transfer the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device via the communication link.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor includes a first processor adapted to translate the data file of the electronic document into print instructions for the electronic document and a second processor adapted to convert the print instructions into the translated data file for the electronic document.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first processor is adapted to translate the data file of the electronic document into the print instructions for the electronic document via a printer driver.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first processor is part of a computer and the second processor is part of a printer.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the communication link is configured to link the computer, the printer, and the mobile computing device, and wherein the computer is adapted to transfer the print instructions for the electronic document to the printer via the communication link and the printer is adapted to transfer the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device via the communication link.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile computing device has an address, and wherein the processor is adapted to transfer the translated data file to the address of the mobile computing device.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the communication link is configured to link the processor and a computer associated with the mobile computing device, and wherein the processor is adapted to transfer the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device via the communication link and the computer associated with the mobile computing device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor is adapted to transfer the translated data file for the electronic document to the computer, and wherein the computer is adapted to transfer the translated data file for the electronic document to the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is synchronized with the computer.