Methods and systems for imaging device remote application interaction

• US 20060077423A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• 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: Yamamura, Shinichi, Sojian, Lena, Chrisop, Roy, Nguyen, Uoc, Stevens, Mark, Richardson, Tanna, Plewnia, Bogdan, Lum, Joey, Schacht, Bryan K., Mathieson, Rono
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00352 Input means H04N1/00411 takes precedence; input arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for interacting with a remote computing device from an imaging device. These embodiments comprise remote computing devices configured to communicate with imaging devices, imaging devices configured to communicate with remote computing devices and systems comprising various combinations of remote computing devices in communication with imaging devices.

Claims

1. A method for interacting with a remote computing device through user input on an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) receiving, at an imaging device, menu data from a remote computing device;

b) displaying said menu data on a display portion of a user interface on said imaging device;

c) configuring said user interface on said imaging device to control an application on said remote computing device wherein responses to said displayed menu data control said application; and

d) receiving processed application data processed by said application on said remote computing device in response to said user input.

2. A method for interacting with an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) sending, to an imaging device, menu data from a remote computing device;

b) configuring an application on said remote computing device to receive user input from said user interface on said imaging device wherein responses to said menu data interact with said application; and

c) sending, to said imaging device, processed application data processed by said application on said remote computing device in response to said user input.

3. A method for interacting with a remote computing device through user input on an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) receiving, at an imaging device, menu data from a remote computing device;

b) displaying said menu data on a display on said imaging device;

c) sending, from said imaging device, user input received in response to said displaying menu data to said remote computing device; and

d) receiving processed application data processed by an application on said remote computing device in response to said user input.

4. A method for enhancing the functionality of an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) providing a user interface on said imaging device,

i. said user interface comprising a display,

ii. said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) linking said imaging device to a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising an application that can be executed on said remote computing device;

c) enabling selective execution of said application on said computing device by input to said input device on said imaging device; and

d) enhancing a function on said imaging device with said application running on said remote computing device.

5. A method as described in claim 4 wherein input that causes said selective execution does not execute an application on said imaging device.

6. A method as described in claim 4 wherein the resources on said imaging device are not significantly utilized to execute and run said application.

7. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said imaging device display provides a menu driven by a markup language.

8. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language.

9. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with an object access protocol.

10. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language and an object access protocol.

11. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a language selected from the set consisting of HTML, XML, WML and XHTML.

12. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with SOAP.

13. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with XML and SOAP.

14. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces defined by Web Services Definition Language (WSDL).

15. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces using a Web Service.

16. A method as described in claim 4 further comprising transmitting data from said remote computing device to said imaging device.

17. A method as described in claim 4 further comprising transmitting data from said imaging device to said remote computing device.

18. A method for executing a remote application from an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) providing a user interface on said imaging device,

i. said user interface comprising a display device,

ii. said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) linking said imaging device to a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising an application that can be executed on said remote computing device;

ii. said remote computing device further comprising menu data; and

c) feeding said menu data to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said application by user input on said imaging device.

19. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said feeding is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language.

20. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said feeding is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with an object access protocol.

21. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said feeding is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language and an object access protocol.

22. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said feeding is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language selected from the set consisting of HTML, XML, WML and XHTML.

23. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said feeding is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with XML and SOAP.

24. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces defined by a Web Services Definition Language (WSDL).

25. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said linking and said enabling is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces using a Web Service.

26. A method for providing advanced functions on an imaging device with limited resources, said method comprising:

a) providing a user interface on an imaging device,

i. said imaging device lacking sufficient resources to execute advanced applications,

ii. said user interface comprising a display device,

iii. said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) linking said imaging device to a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising at least one advanced application that can be executed on said remote computing device;

ii. said remote computing device further comprising menu data for said imaging device display device;

c) transmitting said menu data to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said at least one advanced application by user input on said input device; and

d) enabling selective initiation of said application by user input on said imaging device.

27. A method as described in claim 26 wherein said linking, said transmitting and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language and an object access protocol.

28. A method as described in claim 26 wherein said linking, said transmitting and said enabling is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with XML and SOAP.

29. A method as described in claim 26 wherein said linking, said transmitting and said enabling is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces defined by Web Services Definition Language (WSDL).

30. An imaging system comprising:

a) an imaging device, said imaging device comprising,

i. a user interface on said imaging device,

(1) said user interface comprising a display,

(2) said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising an application that can be executed on said remote computing device; and

c) a communication link connecting said imaging device to said remote computing device; and

d) wherein said user interface on said imaging device is connected to said remote computing device such that interaction with said application on said computing device may be achieved by input to said input device on said imaging device.

31. An imaging system comprising:

a) an imaging device, said imaging device comprising,

i. a user interface on said imaging device,

(1) said user interface comprising a display device,

(2) said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising an application that can be executed on said remote computing device;

ii. said remote computing device further comprising menu data;

c) a communication link connecting said imaging device to said remote computing device; and

d) wherein said menu data is transmitted over said network to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said application on said remote computing device by user input on said user interface.

32. An imaging system for providing advanced functions on an imaging device with limited resources, said method comprising:

a) an imaging device lacking sufficient resources to execute advanced applications, said imaging device comprising,

i. a user interface on said imaging device,

(1) said user interface comprising a display device,

(2) said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising at least one advanced application that can be executed on said remote computing device, but cannot be executed on said imaging device;

ii. said remote computing device further comprising menu data for said imaging device display device; and

c) a communication link connecting said imaging device to said remote computing device;

d) wherein said menu data is transmitted to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said at least one application by user input on said input device.

33. An imaging system comprising:

a) a plurality of imaging devices, wherein at least one of said imaging devices comprises,

i. a user interface on said imaging device,

(1) said user interface comprising a display device,

(2) said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) a remote computing device (RCD),

i. said RCD comprising an application that can be executed on said RCD;

ii. said RCD further comprising menu data;

c) a communication link connecting said plurality of imaging devices to said RCD; and

d) wherein said menu data is transmitted over said network to said at least one imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said application on said RCD by user input on said user interface.

34. A method for providing updated functions on an imaging device after said imaging device has been put into service, said method comprising:

a) providing a user interface on an imaging device with a fixed set of functions,

i. said user interface comprising a display device,

ii. said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) linking said imaging device to an update remote computing device (RCD),

i. said update RCD comprising at least one application that can be executed on said RCD, but does not exist on said imaging device;

ii. said update RCD further comprising menu data for said imaging device display device;

c) transmitting said menu data to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said at least one application by user input on said input device; and

d) updating a function on said imaging device via said application.

35. A method for interacting with a remote application from an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) means for providing a user interface on an imaging device,

i. said means for providing a user interface comprising a means for displaying information to a user,

ii. said means for providing a user interface further comprising a means for user input;

b) means for linking said imaging device to a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising means for executing an application on said remote computing device; and

c) wherein said means for user input on said imaging device may be used to interact with said application.

36. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for controlling an application on a remote computing device from a user input device on an imaging device, said instructions comprising the acts of:

a) providing a user interface on said imaging device,

i. said user interface comprising a display device,

ii. said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) linking said imaging device to a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising an application that can be executed on said remote computing device;

ii. said remote computing device further comprising menu data; and

c) feeding said menu data to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said application by user input on said imaging device.

37. A computer data signal embodied in an electronic transmission, said signal having the function of controlling an application on a remote computing device from a user input device on an imaging device, said signal comprising instructions for:

a) providing a user interface on said imaging device,

i. said user interface comprising a display device,

ii. said user interface further comprising an input device;

b) linking said imaging device to a remote computing device,

i. said remote computing device comprising an application that can be executed on said remote computing device; and

ii. said remote computing device further comprising menu data; and

c) feeding said menu data to said imaging device for display on said display device in a manner that enables a user to interact with said application by user input on said imaging device.

38. A method for allowing remote application access from an imaging device, said method comprising:

a) providing a user interface on said imaging device,

i. said user interface comprising a display device capable of receiving and displaying menu data received from a remote computing device,

ii. said user interface further comprising an input device capable of interacting with an application running on said remote computing device; and

b) providing a connection on said imaging device to allow communication with said remote computing device.

39. A method as described in claim 38 wherein said interacting is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language.

40. A method as described in claim 38 wherein said interacting is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with an object access protocol.

41. A method as described in claim 38 wherein said interacting is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language and an object access protocol.

42. An imaging device with remote application access, said device comprising:

a) a display device capable of receiving and displaying menu data received from a remote computing device,

b) an input device capable of interacting with an application running on said remote computing device; and

c) a connection on said imaging device to allow communication with said remote computing device.

43. A remote computing device for interacting with an imaging device, said remote computing device comprising:

a) menu data for display on an imaging device,

b) an application configured to interact with input from said imaging device; and

c) a connection on said remote computing device to allow communication with said imaging device.

44. An imaging device with remote processing connectivity, said device comprising:

a) an imaging function; and

b) an imaging function API that allows remote computing device access to said imaging function.

45. A method as described in claim 44 wherein said access is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language selected from the set consisting of HTML, XML, WML and XHTML.

46. A method as described in claim 44 wherein said access is at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with XML and SOAP.

47. A method as described in claim 44 wherein said access is at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces defined by a Web Services Definition Language (WSDL).

48. A remote computing device (RCD) capable of processing imaging device (IDev) input, said RCD comprising:

a) an application comprising API calls to an IDev imaging function API.

49. A method as described in claim 48 wherein said calls are at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with a markup language selected from the set consisting of HTML, XML, WML and XHTML.

50. A method as described in claim 48 wherein said calls are at least partially achieved by transport of data commands with XML and SOAP.

51. A method as described in claim 48 wherein said calls are at least partially achieved by exposing imaging device function and data interfaces defined by a Web Services Definition Language (WSDL).

52. A device as described in claim 48 wherein said imaging function API is a device control and management API.

53. A device as described in claim 48 wherein said imaging function API is an internal accounting API.

54. A device as described in claim 48 wherein said imaging function API is a font and form management API.

55. A device as described in claim 48 wherein said imaging function API is a firmware management API.