Automatically specifying address where document is to be sent

• US 6,903,838 B1
• Filed: 12/20/1999
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanson, Angela K., Jeran, Paul L, Slupe, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pokrzywa, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US09/468,257
• Time in Patent Office: 1,996 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/402, 358/442, 358/407, 358/405, 358/440, 358/468, 707/1, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 382/101, 382/61, 370/248, 370/352, 370/392, 370/471, 370/401, 709/217, 709/219, 709/251
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 1/32765 Initiating a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A method for providing automatic communication addressing comprising the steps of: locating a communication mark, if one is present, on a medium containing information; obtaining at least one address directly or indirectly from the communication mark; inputting the address into an address function of a communication device; and initiating a communication of the information to the address through the communication device.

Claims

1. A method for providing automatic communication addressing comprising the steps of:

locating a communication mark, if one is present, on a medium containing information at a final addressee destination sent from sending party;

obtaining at least one communication address directly or indirectly from said communication mark, the at least one communication address being different from that of the final addressee destination;

inputting said communication address into an address function of a communication device; and

initiating a communication of said information to said communication address through said communication device;

wherein said communication mark includes a first communication address for a first communication mode, and a second communication address for a second different type of communication mode;

further comprising the steps of

determining if said communication mode for said first communication address is available at said communication device; and

when it is determined that said communication mode for said first communication address is not available at said communication device, sending said second communication address for the second different type of communication mode and said information to the communication device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said locating step comprises scanning said medium.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said locating step comprises the step of locating said communication mark at a predetermined location on said medium.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said locating step comprises locating an address relative to a predetermined mark on said medium.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of obtaining comprise obtaining the at least one Internet address directly from said communication mark.

6. A system for providing automatic communication addressing comprising:

logic for locating a non-text/image communication mark, if one is present, on a medium containing information which has been sent to a final addressee destination from a sending party;

logic for obtaining at least one communication address directly or indirectly from said communication mark, the at least one communication address being different from that of the final addressee destination;

logic for inputting said communication address into an address function of a communication device; and

logic for initiating a communication of said information to said communication address through said communication device;

wherein said communication mark includes a first communication address for a first communication mode, and a second communication address for a second different type of communication mode;

further comprising;

logic for determining if said communication mode for said first communication address is available at said communication device; and

logic for, when it is determined that said communication mode for said first communication address is not available at said communication device, sending said second communication address for the second different type of communication mode and said information to the communication device.

7. A program product including machine readable program code for causing a machine to perform the following method steps for providing automatic communication addressing:

locating a non-text/image communication mark, if one is present, on a medium containing information which has been sent to a final addressee destination from a sending party;

obtaining at least one communication address directly or indirectly from said communication mark, the at least one communication address being different from that of the final addressee destination;

inputting said communication address into an address function of a communication device; and

initiating a communication of said information to said communication address through said communication device;

wherein said communication mark includes a first communication address for a first communication mode, and a second communication address for a second different type of communication mode;

further comprising the steps of;

determining if said communication mode for said first communication address is available at said communication device; and

when it is determined that said communication mode for said first communication address is not available at said communication device, sending said second communication address for the second different type of communication mode and said information to the communication device.

8. A program product as defined in claim 7, wherein said step of obtaining the at least one Internet address obtains the at least one internet address directly from said communication mark.