Apparatus and method for dynamically routing documents using dynamic control documents and data streams

• US 6,674,924 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David W. Fye, Mark Brown, Steven F. Wright
• Original Assignee: David W. Fye, Mark Brown, Steven F. Wright
• Inventors: Brown, Mark A., Wright, Steven F., Fye, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US10/032,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10.1, 382/306
• US Class Current: 382/306
• 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: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 with local image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

According to the preferred embodiments, an apparatus and method for dynamic routing using dynamic data streams is disclosed. Dynamic routing using dynamic data streams facilitates the creation of a flexible paper gateway in a digital filing system that provides for receiving, processing and storing document images from a wide variety of sources. When thus implemented, dynamic routing allows the digital filing system to efficiently operate while providing digital filing services to a wide variety of users with different needs. Thus, the preferred embodiments provide for the efficient digital filing and efficient management of paper-based information from its receipt at the desktop through an indexing, scanning, image storage and image retrieval process.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a digital image of a paper-based document, the digital image of the paper based document including an image of a label; and

a paper gateway application residing in the memory and being executed by the at least one processor, the paper gateway application receiving the digital image of the paper-based document and creating a dynamic control document associated with the image of the paper based document, the dynamic control document including data and processing instructions for the digital image, and wherein the paper gateway parses the dynamic control document to at least partially control document image processing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway updates the dynamic control document with results from the image processing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway extracts a unique identifier from the image of the label and uses the unique identifier to link the digital image to a database record, and wherein the paper gateway updates the dynamic control document with information relating to the unique identifier and the database record.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the paper gateway links the digital image to the record by using at least a portion of the globally unique document number to create a file name for the digital image.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dynamic control document is implemented using extensible markup language (XML).

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dynamic control document includes a next component tag for indicating a next component to perform image processing, and wherein the next component tag is updated at each step of the image processing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dynamic control document includes a plurality of results tags for indicating results from image processing, and wherein the results tags are updated at each step of the image processing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway includes a flow manager, the flow manager controlling operation of the paper gateway by parsing the dynamic control document for document processing instructions.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway includes a document receiver, the document receiver receiving the document image from one of a plurality of sources and initiating image processing of the document image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the document receiver further converts the document image into a common format.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document discriminator, the document discriminator parsing the document image for the image of the label and determining a unique identifier from the image of the label.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital image of a paper-based document includes a plurality of label images, each of the plurality of label images corresponding to a separate paper-based document, and wherein the paper gateway further includes a document discriminator, the document discriminator parsing the document image for the plurality of label images and determining a unique identifier from each of the label images.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document divider, and wherein the document divider splits the digital image of a paper based document into a plurality of digital images according to the plurality of label images, and wherein the document divider creates a dynamic control document for each of the plurality of digital images.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway further includes an image processor, wherein the image processor retrieves image processing instructions corresponding to the image label and adds the image processing instructions to the dynamic control document.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document filer, wherein the document filer retrieves the document filing instructions corresponding to the image label and adds the filing instructions to the dynamic control document.

16. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a digital image of a paper-based document, the digital image including an image of a label that includes a unique identifier, the digital image residing in the memory; and

a paper gateway application residing in the memory and being executed by the at least one processor, the paper gateway application receiving the digital image of the paper-based document and creating a dynamic control document associated with the image of the paper based document, the paper gateway application including;

a flow manager, the flow manager controlling processing of the digital image by parsing the dynamic control document for document processing instructions;

a document discriminator, the document discriminator parsing the document image for the image of the label and determining the unique identifier from the image of the label; and

an image processor, wherein the image processor retrieves image processing instructions corresponding to the unique identifier and adds the image processing instructions to the dynamic control document.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the dynamic control document is implemented using an extensible markup language (XML).

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document receiver, the document receiver receiving the document image from one of a plurality of sources and initiating image processing of the document image.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document divider, and wherein the document divider splits the digital image of a paper based document into a plurality of digital images according to the plurality of label images, and wherein the document divider creates a dynamic control document for each of the plurality of digital images.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document filer, wherein the document filer retrieves the document filing instructions corresponding to the image label and adds the filing instructions to the dynamic control document.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the paper gateway uses the unique identifier from the label image to link the digital image to a database record previously created by a user.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the dynamic control document includes a next component tag for indicating a next component to perform image processing, and wherein the next component tag is updated at each step of the image processing.

23. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the dynamic control document includes a plurality of results tags for indicating results from image processing, and wherein the results tags are updated at each step of the image processing.

24. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a document image including a label image that comprises a unique identifier;

creating a dynamic control document corresponding to the document image;

performing image processing on the document image as specified by the dynamic control document; and

updating the dynamic control document with results from the image processing of the document image.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of parsing the document image for the label image to determine the unique identifier and updating the dynamic control document corresponding to the unique identifier.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of retrieving image processing instructions corresponding to unique identifier and updating the dynamic control document corresponding to the image processing instructions.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of retrieving filing instructions corresponding to unique identifier and updating the dynamic control document corresponding to the filing instructions.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of creating a dynamic control document corresponding to the document image comprises providing an extensible markup language (XML) dynamic control document.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of locating a plurality of label images in the document image.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of splitting the document image into a plurality of digital images according to the located plurality of label images.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of creating a dynamic control document for each of the plurality of digital images.

32. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of converting the document image into a common file format.

33. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a document image including a label image that comprises a unique identifier;

creating a dynamic control document corresponding to the document image;

parsing the document image for the label image to determine the unique identifier and updating the dynamic control document corresponding to the unique identifier;

retrieving image processing instructions corresponding to unique identifier and updating the dynamic control document corresponding to the image processing instructions; and

perform image processing according to the dynamic control document.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of retrieving filing instructions corresponding to unique identifier and updating the dynamic control document corresponding to the filing instructions.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising the steps of locating a plurality of label images in the document image, splitting the document image into a plurality of digital images according to the located plurality of label images and creating a dynamic control document for each of the plurality of digital images.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of converting the document image into a common file format.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of creating a dynamic control document corresponding to the document image comprises providing an extensible markup language (XML) dynamic control document.

38. A program product comprising:

a paper gateway application residing in the memory and being executed by the at least one processor, the paper gateway application receiving a digital image of the paper-based document and creating a dynamic control document associated with the image of the paper based document, the dynamic control document including data and processing instructions for the digital image, and wherein the paper gateway parses the dynamic control document to at least partially control document image processing; and

signal bearing media bearing the page gateway application.

39. The program product of claim 38 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

40. The program product of claim 38 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

41. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway updates the dynamic control document with results from the image processing.

42. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway extracts a unique identifier from the image of the label and uses the unique identifier to link the digital image to a database record, and wherein the paper gateway updates the dynamic control document with information relating to the unique identifier and the database record.

43. The program product of claim 42 wherein the paper gateway links the digital image to the record by using at least a portion of the globally unique document number to create a file name for the digital image.

44. The program product of claim 38 wherein the dynamic control document is implemented using extensible markup language (XML).

45. The program product of claim 38 wherein the dynamic control document includes a next component tag for indicating a next component to perform image processing, and wherein the next component tag is updated at each step of the image processing.

46. The program product of claim 38 wherein the dynamic control document includes a plurality of results tags for indicating results from image processing, and wherein the results tags are updated at each step of the image processing.

47. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway includes a flow manager, the flow manager controlling operation of the paper gateway by parsing the dynamic control document for document processing instructions.

48. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway includes a document receiver, the document receiver receiving the document image from one of a plurality of sources and initiating image processing of the document image.

49. The program product of claim 48 wherein the document receiver further converts the document image into a common format.

50. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document discriminator, the document discriminator parsing the document image for the image of the label and determining a unique identifier from the image of the label.

51. The program product of claim 38 wherein the digital image of a paper-based document includes a plurality of label images, each of the plurality of label images corresponding to a separate paper-based document, and wherein the paper gateway further includes a document discriminator, the document discriminator parsing the document image for the plurality of label images and determining a unique identifier from each of the label images.

52. The program product of claim 51 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document divider, and wherein the document divider splits the digital image of a paper based document into a plurality of digital images according to the plurality of label images, and wherein the document divider creates a dynamic control document for each of the plurality of digital images.

53. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway further includes an image processor, wherein the image processor retrieves image processing instructions corresponding to the image label and adds the image processing instructions to the dynamic control document.

54. The program product of claim 38 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document filer, wherein the document filer retrieves the document filing instructions corresponding to the image label and adds the filing instructions to the dynamic control document.

55. A program product comprising:

a paper gateway application, the paper gateway application receiving a digital image of the paper-based document and creating a dynamic control document associated with the image of the paper based document, the paper gateway application including;

a flow manager, the flow manager controlling processing of the digital image by parsing the dynamic control document for document processing instructions;

a document discriminator, the document discriminator parsing the document image for a image of a label and determining the unique identifier from the image of the label; and

an image processor, wherein the image processor retrieves image processing instructions corresponding to the unique identifier and adds the image processing instructions to the dynamic control document; and

signal bearing media bearing the page gateway application.

56. The program product of claim 55 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

57. The program product of claim 55 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

58. The program product of claim 55 wherein the dynamic control document is implemented using an extensible markup language (XML).

59. The program product of claim 55 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document receiver, the document receiver receiving the document image from one of a plurality of sources and initiating image processing of the document image.

60. The program product of claim 55 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document divider, and wherein the document divider splits the digital image of a paper based document into a plurality of digital images according to the plurality of label images, and wherein the document divider creates a dynamic control document for each of the plurality of digital images.

61. The program product of claim 55 wherein the paper gateway further includes a document filer, wherein the document filer retrieves the document filing instructions corresponding to the image label and adds the filing instructions to the dynamic control document.

62. The program product of claim 55 wherein the paper gateway uses the unique identifier from the label image to link the digital image to a database record previously created by a user.

63. The program product of claim 55 wherein the dynamic control document includes a next component tag for indicating a next component to perform image processing, and wherein the next component tag is updated at each step of the image processing.

64. The program product of claim 55 wherein the dynamic control document includes a plurality of results tags for indicating results from image processing, and wherein the results tags are updated at each step of the image processing.