Automated electronic document transmission

• US 6,442,595 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OpenPrint LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Circle Computer Resources
• Inventors: Kelly, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/470,027
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/206, 709/217, 709/313, 709/328, 709/329, 358/400, 358/402
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

The invention according to a preferred embodiment provides a method for capturing electronic files from an electronic device and transmitting the electronic files to an address specified by a user. The method includes the steps of detecting output selection from the user; capturing the output using a driver; verifying the file format is compatible with the address using an interface; attaching one or more files to a message; displaying the message and allowing the message to be edited by the user, wherein editing includes specifying one or more addresses where the electronic file is to be sent; and sending the message. Optionally, the invention includes dialing and connecting to the Internet if necessary prior to sending the electronic file to the designated addresses. The message may include a cross-platform compatible machine language such as XML.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting an electronic document containing text and an electronic file generated from an electronic device by a user, wherein the electronic device is connectable to a computer system having a display, a processing unit, memory devices, data input devices, and network connection means, said method comprising:

detecting the selection of a file output by the user of the electronic device,

invoking a driver to produce the file output when selected;

invoking an interface;

obtaining information about said file output to be outputted;

using said driver to save said file output in a conventional file format;

passing said saved file output to said interface;

indexing said saved file output;

repeating said detecting step until there are no more files to be outputted;

shutting down said driver;

displaying said interface;

prompting the user for an address and a message;

verifying the conventional format of the one or more outputted files is appropriate for said address,

detecting a send command from the user;

attaching said one or more verified outputted files to said message; and

transmitting said message.

2. The method for transmitting an image as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of prompting the user for an address further comprises the step of prompting the user to edit an e-mail message.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of verifying further comprises obtaining information about an electronic device at said address, and comparing the conventional file format to a list of those known to be acceptable to the electronic device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising the step of converting the conventional file format to an acceptable file format.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising closing said interface when said message is transmitted, wherein closing said interface includes cleaning up said files and the memory.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of returning the user to the application software program.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a camera, copier, fax machine, audio recording device, or automated testing device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attached message includes a cross-platform machine language readable by different types of electronic devices or systems.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the language is JAVA or XML.

10. A method for transmitting an image converted from a data block formatted according to a first standard and containing information generated from a computer-application software program running on a computer and for sending a representation of said image via electronic mail to at least one e-mail address specified by a user, said method comprising:

a detecting a user-selected printer driver;

transferring said data block to said user-selected printer driver;

converting said data block in said selected printer driver to one or more image representation;

attaching said one or more image representation to an e-mail message;

prompting said user for an e-mail address; and

causing said e-mail message to be sent to said e-mail address.

11. The method of claim 10 including the step of verifying that said image representation is compatible with said e-mail address;

and

causing the verified image representation to be sent to said e-mail address.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of causing the verified image representation to be sent to said e-mail address includes the step of delivering said e-mail message to the internet for subsequent delivery to said e-mail address.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of identifying said image representation includes the steps of determining the type of file to be accepted by said e-mail address and converting said image representation into the accepted file type.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the conversion of said data block includes the generation of a Device Independent Bitmap (DIB), Graphical Interchange (GIF), JPEG, PCX, JPEG, PNG, or Tagged Image File (TIFF) format.

15. The method of claim 10 including the step of adding a text message to said e-mail message.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said e-mail message includes XML encoding.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said first standard is compatible with a video file, an audio file, a text file, a graphical file, or a data file.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said data block is compressed.

19. The method of claim 10 including the step of compressing an image representation.