DOCUMENT IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100214629A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Patterson
• Original Assignee: William Patterson
• Inventors: Patterson, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,384,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00222 details of image data generation or reproduction, e.g. scan-to-email or network printing
• 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A document imaging system is configured to allow scanning and transmission of document images. A scanner system images a document and wirelessly transmits the image to a personal digital assistant (PDA). The PDA transmits the image to a document server located on a network. An authenticated user may then retrieve a scanned document image from the document server via the network. Because the scanner system and/or PDA may be located in a remote location, remote documents may be quickly presented for viewing by a user.

Claims

1. A document imaging system, comprising:

a portable scanner system;

a mobile communication device coupled to the scanner system via a first wireless connection; and

a document server coupled to the mobile communication device via a second wireless connection,

wherein the portable scanner system acquires a scanned image and transmits the scanned image to the mobile communication device via the first wireless connection,

wherein the mobile communication device transmits the scanned image to the document server via the second wireless connection, and

wherein the document server delivers the scanned image from the document server to an authorized user responsive to a request for the scanned image from the authorized user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless connection is compatible with a wireless communication protocol published by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wireless connection is at least one of:

a GSM connection, a CDMA connection, or an IEEE 802.11 connection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable scanner system comprises a first scanner control module, a scanner memory, a scanner Bluetooth module, and a scanning element.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a second scanner control module, a PDA memory, a PDA Bluetooth module, and a communication module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the document server comprises a web service, a storage memory, and an access control module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable scanner system comprises a USB connection for coupling the scanner system to a personal computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable scanner system weighs less than 1.5 pounds.

9. A method for imaging a document, the method comprising:

scanning, via a portable scanner system, the document to produce a scanned image;

transmitting, via a first wireless connection, the scanned image from the portable scanner system to a mobile communication device;

transmitting, via a second wireless connection, the scanned image from the mobile communication device to a document server; and

delivering the scanned image from the document server to an authorized user responsive to a request for the scanned image from the authorized user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first wireless connection is compatible with a wireless communication protocol published by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second wireless connection is at least one of:

a GSM connection, a CDMA connection, or an IEEE 802.11 connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the portable scanner system comprises a first scanner control module, a scanner memory, a scanner Bluetooth module, and a scanning element.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a second scanner control module, a PDA memory, a PDA Bluetooth module, and a communication module.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the document server comprises a web service, a storage memory, and an access control module.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the authorized user is located remote from the portable scanner system.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising denying access to the scanned image to an unauthorized user.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising grouping a plurality of scanned images associated with the authorized user.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising transferring, via a USB cable, the scanned image from the portable scanner system to a personal computer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transferring, from the personal computer, the scanned image to the document server.