Method for forming and decoding a coupon providing the bearer with access to document services

• US 20040211828A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wilkie, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/425,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A method for forming and decoding a printed coupon that can be used to provide access to and/or gain access to document services. The printed coupon contains one or more machine-readable symbols describing the document services that a user may gain access to. The document services include faxing, printing, copying, email, electronic file access, scan to email, scan to file and document services.

Claims

1-30. -30. (Cancelled)

31. In a system (100) for providing document services, the system comprising a coupon dispensing apparatus (200) for providing a coupon (300) to a human requester (1) and a coupon redeeming apparatus (400) for receiving the coupon from a human coupon bearer (3) and for providing document services based on the coupon,

the coupon dispensing apparatus (200) arranged for, in response to receiving a request for one or more document services from the requester (1), printing (230) and dispensing (232) the coupon, the resulting coupon (300) being printed or marked with at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) which represents the requested document services that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive,

the coupon redeeming apparatus (400) arranged for, in response to receiving the coupon from the bearer (3), scanning (410) the coupon, decoding the machine-readable symbol or indicium that corresponds to the requested document services and transmitting the resulting document services information to one or more included document services devices (430) which, in turn, provide the requested document services. (440),

a method for forming a coupon (300) for the requester (1) which coupon (300) is later used by the coupon bearer (3) to obtain at least one document service, the method comprising, by the coupon dispensing apparatus (200):

(a) determining (510) at least one requested document service from the requester (1);

(b) forming (520) at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) that represents the at least one requested document service;

(c) marking (530) the coupon (300) with the at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312); and

, (d) dispensing (232) the coupon (300);

wherein the document services comprise processing and manipulation of documents, including any of printing, copying, faxing, electronic mail, electronic file access, document scanning and document processing; and

wherein the document services device (430) Is separate and distinct from the coupon dispensing apparatus (230).

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) further represents at least one document service feature of the at least one requested document service that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive, the method further comprising:

(a) determining (510) at least one requested document service feature of the at least one requested document service from the requester (1);

(b) forming (520) at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) that represents the at least one requested document service feature of the at least one requested document service;

(c) marking (530) the coupon (300) with the at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312);

(d) dispensing (232) the coupon (300); and

,

wherein, the at least one requested document service feature is a member of the group consisting of;

the maximum number of images;

the maximum paper size;

the maximum size of any digital image that is used;

the minimum paper size;

the minimum size of any digital image that is used;

the time period during which the user may use the permitted document services;

stapling options;

folding options;

through-hole options;

booklet making;

cover pages;

digital watermarks;

the maximum number of images that can be printed on a single page of any print capable document service;

simplex and duplex options;

page insertion options;

the selection of color stock for printing;

the selection of a one-line header to be printed on the top of each page that is printed by any print capable document service; and

the selection of a one-line header that is to be printed on each page associated with any print capable document service.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the machine-readable indicium or symbol (310, 311, 312) comprises a PDF417 barcode.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the machine-readable indicium or symbol (310, 311, 312) comprises a dataglyph.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein forming the encoded machine-readable indicium or symbol (310, 311, 312) further comprises using encryption.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein using encryption comprises using Pretty Good Privacy (PGP).

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the receiver (210) further comprises means for payment of the at least one requested document services.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein document processing comprises optical character recognition.

39. In a system (100) for providing document services, the system comprising a coupon dispensing apparatus (200) for providing a coupon (300) to a human requester (1) and a coupon redeeming apparatus (400) for receiving the coupon from a human coupon bearer (3) and for providing document services based on the coupon,

the coupon dispensing apparatus (200) arranged for, in response to receiving a request for one or more document services from the requester (1), printing (230) and dispensing (232) the coupon, the resulting coupon (300) being printed or marked with at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) which represents the requested document services that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive,

the coupon redeeming apparatus (400) arranged for, in response to receiving the coupon from the bearer (3), scanning (410) the coupon, decoding the machine-readable symbol or indicium that corresponds to the requested document services and transmitting the resulting document services information to one or more included document services devices (430) which, in turn, provide the requested document services (440),

a method for redeeming the coupon (300) from the coupon bearer (3) to provide at least one document service, the method comprising, by the coupon redeeming and document services apparatus (400):

(a) scanning the coupon (610);

(b) decoding (620) the at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) that represents the at least one requested document service;

(c) determining (630) the at least one document service to which the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive; and

(d) providing (640) the at least one requested document service;

wherein the document services comprise processing and manipulation of documents, including any of printing, copying, faxing, electronic mail, electronic file access, document scanning and document processing;

and wherein the document services device (430) is separate and distinct from the coupon dispensing apparatus (230).

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) further represents at least one document service feature of the at least on requested document service that the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive, the method further comprising:

(a) scanning (610) the coupon;

(b) decoding (620) the at least one machine-readable symbol or indicium (310, 311, 312) that represents the at least one requested document service feature of the at least one requested document service;

(c) determining (630) the at least one requested document service feature of the at least one document service to which the coupon bearer (3) is entitled to receive; and

,

(d) providing (640) the document service feature;

wherein, the at least one requested document service feature is a member of the group consisting of;

the maximum number of images;

the maximum paper size;

the maximum size of any digital image that is used;

the minimum paper size;

the minimum size of any digital image that is used;

the time period during which the user may use the permitted document services;

stapling options;

folding options;

through-hole options;

booklet making;

cover pages;

digital watermarks;

the maximum number of images that can be printed on a single page of any print capable document service;

simplex and duplex options;

page insertion options;

the selection of color stock for printing;

the selection of a one-line header to be printed on the top of each page that is printed by any print capable document service; and

the selection of a one-line header that Is to be printed on each page associated with any print capable document service.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the machine-readable indicium or symbol (310, 311, 312) comprises a PDF417 barcode.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the machine-readable indicium or symbol (310, 311, 312) comprises a dataglyph.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein decoding the encoded machine-readable indicium or symbol (310, 311, 312) further comprises using decryption.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein using decryption comprises using Pretty Good Privacy (PGP).

45. The method of claim 39, wherein providing (640) comprising providing (640) by a multifunction device (430).

46. The method of claim 39, wherein providing (640) comprises providing (640) by a server (430).

47. The method of claim 39, wherein scanning (610) and providing (640) comprising scanning (610) and providing (640) by a multifunction device, the multifunction device further comprising a scanning device, the scanning device further comprising an illumination source, and wherein the illumination source does not comprise a laser.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein decoding (620) comprises decoding (620) by the multifunction device.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein determining (630) comprises determining (630) by the multifunction device.

50. The method of claim 39, wherein document processing comprises optical character recognition.