System and method for facilitating interaction between a computer and a network scanner

• US 20040261084A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rosenbloom, Oren, Tsuchida, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• 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 1/00225 details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015

Abstract

A method and system are provided for facilitating communication between a computing device and a network scanner upon discovery of the network scanner. The system includes a driver having an operating system communication layer and a scanning profile communication layer, the scanning profile communication layer implementing a zero configuration device network architecture. The driver includes a translation mechanism for translating information between a scanning communication protocol of the scanning profile communication layer and an operating system communication mode of the operating system communication layer. The driver may further include a scanning command module for transferring scanning commands from the driver to the network scanning device and a data handler for opening a communication channel between the driver and the scanner and transmitting scan data over the communication channel.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication between a computing device and a network scanner upon discovery of the network scanner, the method comprising:

sending a scanning request to a driver on the computing device, the driver having an operating system communication layer and a scanning profile communication layer, the scanning profile communication layer implementing a zero configuration device network architecture, and

implementing a translation mechanism through the driver for translating between the operating system layer and the scanning profile layer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the network scanner.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising opening a communication channel between the driver and the network scanner and transmitting data through the communication channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a scan request from the driver to the network scanning device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising translating a scan request from an application before transmitting the scan request to the network scanner.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a data handler within the driver to direct scan information to appropriate storage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein directing scan information to appropriate storage comprises directing scan information to a user folder.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein directing scan information to appropriate storage comprises directing scan information to global computing system storage.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing the driver to download scan information from the network scanner during a scanning operation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing a device-initiated scan request.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing a computer system-initiated scan request.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the zero configuration device network architecture is one of UPnP, HAVi, and Jini.

14. A system for facilitating communication between a computing device and a network scanner upon discovery of the network scanner, the system comprising:

a driver having an operating system communication layer and a scanning profile communication layer implementing a zero configuration device network architecture; and

a translation mechanism within the driver for translating information between a scanning communication protocol of the scanning profile communication layer and an operating system communication mode of the operating system communication layer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the zero configuration device network architecture comprises one of UPnP, HAVi, and Jini.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a data handler within the driver for opening a communication channel between the driver and the network scanner.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a registration subsystem for registering the computing system with the network scanner.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a registration subsystem for registering an authorized user with the network scanner.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a scanning command module for sending scanning commands from the driver to the network scanner.

20. A method for controlling a scanner connected over a network with at least one computing device after discovery of the scanner on the network and loading of a driver on the computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a scan request at the driver;

translating the scan request from an operating system communication mode to a scanning communication protocol implementing a zero configuration device network architecture;

instructing the scanner to begin a scan from the driver; and

receiving notification of a scanned document at the driver.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein translating the scan request to a zero configuration device network architecture communication protocol comprises translating to one of UPnP, HAVi, and Jini.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising registering the network scanner using the driver.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising opening a communication channel between the driver and the network scanner and transmitting data through the communication channel.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising using a data handler within the driver to direct scan information to appropriate storage.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein directing scan information to appropriate storage comprises directing scan information to a user folder.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein directing scan information to appropriate storage comprises directing scan information to global computing system storage.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising utilizing the driver to download scan information from the network scanner during a scanning operation.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising processing a computer system-initiated scan request.

29. A method for controlling a scanner connected over a network with at least one computing device after discovery of the scanner on the network and loading of a driver on the computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a scan request at the driver;

transmitting the scan request from the driver to the scanner;

receiving scanning information from the scanner; and

translating the scan information from the scanning communication protocol to an operating system communication mode and passing the translated information up through the operating system.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising registering the network scanner using the driver.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising opening a communication channel between the driver and the network scanner and transmitting data through the communication channel.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising using a data handler within the driver to direct scan information to appropriate storage.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein directing scan information to appropriate storage comprises directing scan information to a user folder.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein directing scan information to appropriate storage comprises directing scan information to global computing system storage.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising utilizing the driver to download scan information from the network scanner during a scanning operation.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising processing a device-initiated scan request.

37. The method of claim 29, further comprising processing a computer system-initiated scan request.

38. A driver installed on a computing system for facilitating communications between the computing system and a network scanning device, the driver comprising:

a scanning command module for transferring scanning commands from the driver to the network scanning device;

a translation mechanism for translating information between a scanning communication protocol and an operating system communication mode; and

a data handler for opening a communication channel between the driver and the scanner and transmitting scan data over the communication channel.

39. The driver of claim 38, further comprising registration subsystem for registering the computing device with the network scanning device.

40. The driver of claim 39, further comprising registration subsystem for registering a computer user with the network scanning device.