Hard imaging devices, hard imaging systems, articles of manufacture, hard imaging device electronic mail processing methods

• US 20040254987A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Co. (HP Inc.), Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Reese, Curtis, Konsella, Shane
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0098 User intervention not otherwise provided for, e.g. placing documents, responding to an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence

Abstract

Aspects of the invention relate to hard imaging devices, hard imaging systems, articles of manufacture, hard imaging device electronic mail processing methods. A hard imaging device includes a communications interface configured to communicate with a communications medium and a communications device, the communications device and the communications medium are communicatively coupled with one another and located external of the hard imaging device, an image engine configured to form hard images using media, processing circuitry configured to control the image engine to form hard images and to communicate with the communication device and an external computer device, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to track electronic mail communication comprising electronic information received within the hard imaging device and invoke an operation of the hard imaging device.

Claims

1. A hard imaging device comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with a communications medium and a communications device, the communications device and the communications medium are communicatively coupled with one another and located external of the hard imaging device;

an image engine configured to form hard images using media;

processing circuitry configured to control the image engine to form hard images and to communicate with the communication device and an external computer device; and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to track electronic mail communication comprising electronic information received within the hard imaging device and invoke an operation of the hard imaging device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic information comprises an electronic file attachment.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to track electronic mail requests from a user of the external computer device to automatically install or print the electronic information, and the processing circuitry is further configured to classify the electronic mail requests.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein classification of the mail requests comprising distinguishing between installation requests and print requests received from a user of the external computer device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to invoke embedded web services of the hard imaging device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic information comprises executable applications.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the communications device is configured to process electronic mail communication between the hard imaging device and a user of the external computer device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to notify a user of the hard imaging device of the received electronic communication and the invoking.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the notification comprises a link to a web page of the hard imaging device comprising information regarding the electronic mail communication.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to store information corresponding to the electronic information in a storage device comprised in the hard imaging device, the information comprising details of an application program included in the electronic information, application program size, time of install, and information about a user of the external computer device responsible for the install.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic mail communication comprises a request to print data of the electronic mail communication, and the processing circuitry is configured to print the data if a user of the external computer device is identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to pause printing of data of the electronic mail communication and store the data in a storage device of the hard imaging device if a user of the external computer device is not identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to notify a registered user of the hard imaging device of a print request from the user if the user is not identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform automatic installation of the electronic information.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to track installation of the electronic information and notify a registered user of the hard imaging device of the installation.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to pause installation of the electronic information, store the electronic information in a storage device of the hard imaging device, and notify a registered user if the user of the external computer device is not identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

17. A hard imaging device comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with a communications medium and a communications device, the communications device and the communications medium are communicatively coupled with one another and located external of the hard imaging device;

an image engine configured to form hard images using media;

processing circuitry configured to control the image engine to form a hard image and to communicate with the communications device and a remote computer; and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to process electronic information sent with an electronic mail message from the remote computer, and notify select registered users of the hard imaging device of the processing.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the electronic information comprises an electronic file attachment.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to distinguish between processing requests from the remote computer, the requests comprising installation request and a print request, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to print the electronic information if a user of the remote computer is identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to store the electronic information in a storage device of the hard imaging device and notify a registered user of the hard imaging device of the electronic message if a user of the remote computer is identified as an unregistered user of the hard imaging device.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein processing the electronic information comprises performing installation of the electronic information in the hard imaging device if a user of the remote computer is identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

22. A hard imaging system comprising:

one or more external computers communicatively coupled to a communications medium;

a communications device communicatively coupled to the communications medium;

a plurality of hard imaging devices individually comprising;

a communications interface configured to communicate with the communications medium and the communications device;

an image engine configured to form hard images using media;

processing circuitry configured to control communications with the communications device and the one or more external computers, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to track an electronic mail request from a user of the one or more external computers attempting to invoke processing of an electronic file attachment sent with the mail request; and

the one or more external computers individually comprising;

a communications interface configured to communicate with the communications medium, the hard imaging devices, and the communications device; and

processing circuitry configured to control communications with the communications device, and to access and display information regarding the tracked electronic mail request of the respective hard imaging devices.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to distinguish between installation processing requests and print processing requests of the electronic file attachment from a user of the one or more external computers.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry of the hard imaging device is configured to notify select registered users of the hard imaging device if the electronic file attachment is automatically installed in the hard imaging device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the notification comprises a link to a web page of the hard imaging device.

26. The system of device of claim 25, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to display information corresponding to the attachment on the web page.

27. A hard imaging device comprising:

a communications means for communicating with a communications medium and a communications device, the communications device and the communications medium are communicatively coupled with one another and located external of the hard imaging device; and

processing means configured to communicate with the communications device and a remote computer, the processing means further configured to track an electronic mail request from a user of the remote computer invoking processing of an electronic file attachment sent with the electronic mail request, the processing means further configured to notify a registered user of the hard imaging device responsive to the invoking.

28. A hard imaging device electronic mail processing method comprising:

providing a hard imaging device configured to form hard copy images using media;

providing a communications device configured to communicate electronic mail messages and electronic information sent with the mail messages from a remote user to the hard imaging device for processing by the hard imaging device;

receiving the mail messages and the electronic information for processing by the hard imaging device; and

tracking an electronic mail message from the remote user requesting invocation of processing the electronic information sent with the mail message by the hard imaging device.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

automatically installing the electronic information upon receiving an installation request from the remote user;

notifying a registered user of the hard imaging device of the receiving; and

printing the electronic information if the remote user is identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.

30. The method claim 28, further comprising:

invoking embedded web server services of the hard imaging device in response to the installing.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the tracking comprising at least one of (a) storing the electronic mail message in a storage device of the hard imaging device, (b) classifying the electronic mail message, or (c) notification to a registered user of the hard imaging device, all responsive to the invocation.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

storing the electronic information in a storage device of the hard imaging device if the remote user is not identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device;

pausing printing of the electronic information;

notifying a registered user of the hard imaging device of the pausing; and

printing the electronic information upon receiving permission from an administrator of the hard imaging device.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the electronic information comprises electronic file attachments.

34. A hard imaging device electronic mail processing method comprising:

receiving in the hard imaging device an electronic communication with a file attachment from a remote user;

tracking the electronic communication requesting invocation of processing of the file attachment by the hard imaging device; and

notifying a registered user of the tracking.

35. An article of manufacture comprising:

processor-usable media comprising programming configured to cause a processing circuitry of a hard imaging device to;

receive an electronic message with a file attachment from a remote user to invoke processing of the attachment by the hard imaging device;

classify the electronic message responsive to the receiving to perform the invocation;

store the electronic mail message in a storage device of the hard imaging device; and

notify information of the electronic message to a user of the hard imaging device.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the programming comprises programming configured to cause the processing circuitry to:

(a) automatically install the file attachment upon receiving an installation request from the remote user;

(b) install the file attachment if the remote user is identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device; and

(c) store the file attachment in a storage device of the hard imaging device if the remote user is not identified as a registered user of the hard imaging device.