CONTEXT AWARE DOCUMENT SERVICES FOR MOBILE DEVICE USERS

• US 20140055812A1
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: DeRoller, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,842,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32518 details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 details of interfacing

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing document services to users thereof. The methods involve: obtaining context information describing at least one aspect of a current situation of a user of a mobile communication device; receiving a request for a document service in response to a user software interaction at the mobile communication device; and adapting the document service based on the context information. The document service comprises a print service, a document conversion service, a document workflow service, a secure access service, or a web service. The obtaining, receiving and adapting steps are collectively performed by at least one of the mobile communication device and a computing device (e.g., a server) remotely located from the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method for providing document services to users thereof, comprising:

obtaining, by a mobile communication device, context information describing at least one aspect of a current situation of a user thereof;

receiving a user request for a document service at the mobile communication device; and

performing operations by the mobile communication device to adapt the document service based on the context information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document service comprises a print service, a document conversion service, or a document workflow service.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the context information specifies at least one of a location of the mobile communication device, a network connectivity to the mobile communication device, movement of the mobile communication device, a past location history identifying geographic locations and places visited by the user, a past network connectivity history, a history of mobile device movement, an entitlement, a security setting, a preference setting, a user profile, a relationship between the user and another person, an entitlement history, a security setting history, a preference setting history, a user profile history, a user relationship history, and a capability of the mobile communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing, by the mobile communication device, the context information to determine if the user is in a public environment or a private environment;

and wherein the adapting comprises;

adapting the document service in a first manner if the user is in a public environment; and

adapting the document service in a second manner if the user is in a private environment, the second manner being different than the first manner.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

capturing an image of a document by the mobile communication device;

receiving at the mobile communication device a request to submit the image to a workflow; and

performing operations by the mobile communication device to submit the image to the workflow only if it is determined, based on the context information, that the user is authorized to do so at a present time.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing operations by the mobile communication device to log information about activities related to the provision of the document service that are performed thereby.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to print a document or an image of the document at the mobile communication device; and

commanding a document handling device to print the document or the image only if it is determined, based on the context information, that the user is authorized to print the document or image using a printer at or near a current location of the user.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing operations by the mobile communication device to identify, based on the context information, at least one document handling device located at or near a current location of the user that may handle a user-specified document.

9. A device comprising a computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon a computer program for providing document services to users thereof, the computer program having a plurality of code sections, the code sections executable by a mobile communication device to cause the mobile communication device to perform the steps of:

obtaining context information describing at least one aspect of a current situation of a user of the mobile communication device;

receiving a user request for a document service; and

adapting the document service based on the context information.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the document service comprises a print service, a document conversion service, or a document workflow service.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the context information specifies at least one of a location of the mobile communication device, a network connectivity to the mobile communication device, movement of the mobile communication device, a past location history identifying geographic locations and places visited by the user, a past network connectivity history, a history of mobile device movement, an entitlement, a security setting, a preference setting, a user profile, a relationship between the user and another person, an entitlement history, a security setting history, a preference setting history, a user profile history, a user relationship history, and a capability of the mobile communication device.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device is further caused to:

analyze the context information to determine if the user is in a public environment or a private environment;

and wherein the adapting comprises;

adapting the document service in a first manner if the user is in a public environment; and

adapting the document service in a second manner if the user is in a private environment, the second manner being different than the first manner.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device is further caused to:

capture an image of a document;

receive a request to submit the image to a workflow; and

submit the image to the workflow only if it is determined, based on the context information, that the user is authorized to do so at a present time.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device is further caused to log information about activities related to the provision of the document service that are performed thereby.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device is further caused to:

receive a request to print a document or an image of the document; and

command a document handling device to print the document or the image only if it is determined, based on the context information, that the user is authorized to print the document or image using a printer at or near a current location of the user.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device is further caused to identify, based on the context information, at least one document handling device located at or near a current location of the user that may handle a user-specified document.

17. A method for providing document services to users thereof, comprising:

obtaining, by a server, context information describing at least one aspect of a current situation of a user of a mobile communication device;

receiving, by the server, a user request for a document service; and

adapting the document service based on the context information.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the document service comprises a print service, a document conversion service, or a document workflow service.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the context information specifies at least one of a location of the mobile communication device, a network connectivity to the mobile communication device, movement of the mobile communication device, a past location history identifying geographic locations and places visited by the user, a past network connectivity history, a history of mobile device movement, an entitlement, a security setting, a preference setting, a user profile, a relationship between the user and another person, an entitlement history, a security setting history, a preference setting history, a user profile history, a user relationship history, and a capability of the mobile communication device.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

analyzing, by the server, the context information to determine if the user is in a public environment or a private environment; and

wherein the adapting comprises;

adapting the document service in a first manner when the user is in a public environment; and

adapting the document service in a second manner when the user is in a private environment, the second manner being different than the first manner.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, a request to submit an image of a document captured by a camera of the mobile communication device to a workflow; and

submitting, by the server, the image to the workflow only if it is determined, based on the context information, that the user is authorized to do so at a present time.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising performing operations by the server to log information about activities related to the provision of the document service that are performed by one or more devices of a document service system.

23. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, a request to print a document or an image of the document; and

generating, by the server, a command to print the document or the image only if it is determined, based on the context information, that the user is authorized to print the document or image using a printer at or near a current location of the user.

24. The method according to claim 17, further comprising performing operations by the server to identify, based on the context information, at least one document handling device located at or near a current location of the user that may handle a user-specified document.