System and method for accessing content from selected sources via a document processing device

• US 20070294204A1
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Yeung, Michael, Garg, Man Mohan, Mathur, Alok
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

The subject application is directed to a system and method for the content retrieval and routing via a document processing device. The document processing device first receives output routing data from an associated user corresponding to a desired destination for retrieved content. The device then receives a content query from the user corresponding to desired content data available from an external source. The query is then routed to the external source and content data in response to the query is retrieved by the document processing device. The content data is then routed from the document processing device to the designated output destination. The document processing device then periodically monitors for changes to the content data at the external source and when any changes are detected, updated content data is retrieved and forwarded to the output destination.

Claims

1. A content retrieval and routing document processing device comprising:

means adapted for receiving identification data corresponding to an associated user;

means adapted for receiving routing data representative of at least one desired output destination;

means adapted for receiving query data from the associated user, which query data is representative of desired content from at least one of plurality of external data sources;

means adapted for retrieving content data from the at least one external data source in accordance with received query data; and

routing means adapted for routing retrieved content data to the at least one associated output in accordance with received routing data.

2. The content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 1 wherein the at least one output is comprised of at least one of a print, electronic mail, data file, wireless transmission and visual display.

3. The content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 1 further comprising:

updating means adapted for periodically updating retrieved content via the at least one external data source in accordance with received identification data; and

wherein

the routing means includes means adapted for routing updated content to the at least one output destination in accordance with the received routing data.

4. The content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 3 further comprising:

monitoring means adapted for monitoring changes in content data; and

means adapted for initializing the updating means upon a detection of changed content data by the monitoring means.

5. The content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 1 further comprising network interface means adapted for routing the query data to the at least one external data source via an associated network.

6. The content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 1 further comprising:

means adapted for receiving at least one electronic document selected by the associated user;

means adapted for receiving document output instructions from the associated user corresponding to the at least one associated output; and

merge means adapted for merging the at least one electronic document and the retrieved content data into a hybrid electronic document; and

wherein the routing means includes means adapted for routing the hybrid electronic document to the at least one associated output.

7. The content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 1 wherein the content data includes at least one of financial data, weather data, schedule data, event data, website data and map data.

8. A method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device comprising the steps of:

receiving identification data corresponding to an associated user;

receiving routing data representative of at least one desired output destination;

receiving query data from the associated user, which query data is representative of desired content from at least one of plurality of external data sources;

retrieving content data from the at least one external data source in accordance with received query data; and

routing retrieved content data to the at least one associated output in accordance with received routing data.

9. The method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 8 wherein the at least one output is comprised of at least one of a print, electronic mail, data file, wireless transmission and visual display.

10. The method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

periodically updating retrieved content via the at least one external data source in accordance with received identification data; and

routing updated content to the at least one output destination in accordance with the received routing data.

11. The method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

monitoring changes in content data; and

commencing the step of updating upon a detection of changed content data.

12. The method for content retrieval and routing via document processing device of claim 8 further comprising the step of routing the query data to the at least one external data source via an associated network.

13. The method for content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one electronic document selected by the associated user;

receiving document output instructions from the associated user corresponding to the at least one associated output;

merging the at least one electronic document and the retrieved content data into a hybrid electronic document; and

routing the hybrid electronic document to the at least one associated output.

14. The method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 8 wherein the content data includes at least one of financial data, weather data, schedule data, event data, website data and map data.

15. A computer-implemented method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device comprising the steps of:

receiving identification data corresponding to an associated user;

receiving routing data representative of at least one desired output destination;

receiving query data from the associated user, which query data is representative of desired content from at least one of plurality of external data sources;

retrieving content data from the at least one external data source in accordance with received query data; and

routing retrieved content data to the at least one associated output in accordance with received routing data.

16. The computer-implemented method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 15 wherein the at least one output is comprised of at least one of a print, electronic mail, data file, wireless transmission and visual display and wherein the content data includes at least one of financial data, weather data, schedule data, event data, website data and map data.

17. The computer-implemented method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

periodically updating retrieved content via the at least one external data source in accordance with received identification data; and

routing updated content to the at lest one output destination in accordance with the received routing data.

18. The computer-implemented method for content retrieval and routing via a document processing device of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

monitoring changes in content data; and

commencing the step of updating upon a detection of changed content data.

19. The computer-implemented method for content retrieval and routing via document processing device of claim 15 further comprising the step of routing the query data to the at least one external data source via an associated network.

20. The computer-implemented method for content retrieval and routing document processing device of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one electronic document selected by the associated user;

receiving document output instructions from the associated user corresponding to the at least one associated output;

merging the at least one electronic document and the retrieved content data into a hybrid electronic document; and

routing the hybrid electronic document to the at least one associated output.