Methods and systems for document reproduction management

• US 20050276520A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gaebel, Gary Lin, Leslie, Sara Lynn, Rutman, Nathaniel Zachary
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3246 of data relating to permitted access or usage, e.g. level of access or usage parameters for digital rights management [DRM] related to still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention comprise methods and systems for associating a hard-copy document with computer-readable information and for accessing that information.

Claims

1. A method for associating a hard copy document with a computer-readable file, said method comprising:

a) associating file information with a correlation code; and

b) combining said correlation code with a hard-copy document that represents said file;

c) wherein said correlation code may be read by a device thereby enabling said device to retrieve said file information.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said file information comprises the location of a file related to said hard-copy document.

3. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising copying said file to a storage device on a printer used for said printing and including said copied file location in said file information.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said correlation code further comprises document security data.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said correlation code further comprises document history data.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said correlation code further comprises a list of allowable document recipients.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said correlation code further comprises document originator data.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said correlation code further comprises document version data.

9. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said correlation code is invisible to the human eye.

10. An enhanced hard-copy document, said document comprising:

a) a hard-copy document on tangible media; and

b) a machine-readable correlation code affixed to said document;

wherein said correlation code may be read by a device thereby enabling said device to retrieve a computer-readable file associated with said document.

11. A method for transmitting information associated with a hard-copy document, said method comprising:

a) machine-reading a correlation code affixed to said hard-copy document; and

b) retrieving a computer-readable file associated with said correlation code; and

c) transmitting at least a portion of information in said computer-readable file.

12. A method as described in claim 11 wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting a file over a network.

13. A method as described in claim 11 wherein said transmitting comprises printing.

14. A method for providing original copies of a hard-copy document, said method comprising:

a) machine-reading a correlation code affixed to a hard-copy document wherein said correlation code comprises information regarding the original application file from which said hard-copy document was originally printed;

b) accessing said information; and

c) printing said original application file.

15. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said information regarding the original application file comprises the location of said original application file.

16. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said reading comprises scanning said hard-copy document.

17. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said reading and said re-printing are performed on a combination scanner and printer.

18. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said information regarding the original application file comprises watermark information and said re-printing comprises printing a watermark.

19. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said information regarding the original application file comprises watermark information and said re-printing comprises printing a modified watermark.

20. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said information regarding the original application file comprises document access data and said re-printing comprises printing some of said access data.

21. A method as described in claim 14 wherein said information regarding the original application file comprises document access data and said method further comprises displaying said access data to a user.

22. A method for copying a steganographically enhanced document, said method comprising:

a) machine-reading a correlation code affixed to a hard-copy document having a steganographic mark, wherein said correlation code comprises information enabling reproduction of said steganographic mark and said document; and

b) printing said document with said steganographic mark.