Method of routing and processing document images sent using a digital scanner and transceiver

• US 7,154,622 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Stevens, Mark Liu, Constantin, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Jerome
• Assistant Examiner(s): Safaipour, Houshang
• Application Number:
  US09/894,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/403, 707 1- 10
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for flexible control of the routing and processing of documents by a document receiver. Document classifications are defined by a receiver and stored on a registration server together with an associated document processing profile (“DPP”). The receiver communicates to a sender how to access his account on the registration server. The sender views the receiver'"'"'s document classifications, selects one, and prints a cover page, which includes a document classification identifier. The sender scans the cover page and a source document with a digital scanner and transceiver. The document is sent to recipients and transformed according to the DPP.

Claims

1. A receiver controlled method for processing at least one document, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at least one processing step to be performed on said at least one document;

(b) providing at least one document classification to be associated with an at least one document processing profile;

(c) creating said at least one document processing profile by associating at least one of said at least one processing steps therewith;

(d) associating each at least one document classification with one of said at least one document processing profile;

(e) assigning a document classification identifier to each said at least one document classification;

(f) providing access to at least one document classification identifier to a sender, said sender printing said at least one document classification identifier on a document to be sent as a sent document using a digital scanner and transceiver;

(g) receiving said sent document with said at least one document classification identifier printed thereon;

(h) reading and decoding said at least one document classification identifier on said sent document; and

(i) processing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one processing step is a predefined step.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one processing step is a step defined by said receiver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one processing step is selected from a group consisting of:

(a) storing a printed copy of said document in a document file;

(b) storing said document in a memory;

(c) storing a copy of said document in a second memory;

(d) sending a copy of said document to another recipient;

(e) printing said document;

(f) sending a confirmation message to the sender of said document;

(g) converting an image of said document into a text document;

(h) searching a text document for key words;

(i) creating index entries for said document;

(j) requiring that said document be encrypted;

(k) decoding an encrypted document;

(l) requiring that said document be sent in a specified format;

(m) requiring the use of specified scanner settings;

(n) requiring transmission of said document using a specified method;

(o) requiring that said document be sent from a specified location;

(p) requiring that said document identifier be entered before transmission of said document;

(q) requiring that a password be entered before transmission of said document;

(r) requiring that a public encryption key be entered before transmission of said document;

(s) requiring that a document be retransmitted if a transmission fails; and

(t) requiring that a digital watermark be placed in a document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier further comprises the step of routing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier further comprises the step of transforming said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier.

7. A receiver controlled method for processing at least one document, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) at a receiver;

(i) providing at least one processing step to be performed on said at least one document;

(ii) providing at least one document classification to be associated with an at least one document processing profile;

(iii) creating said at least one document processing profile by associating at least one of said at least one processing steps therewith;

(iv) associating each at least one document classification with one of said at least one document processing profile;

(v) assigning a document classification identifier to each said at least one document classification;

(vi) providing access to at least one document classification identifier to a sender;

(b) said sender incorporating said at least one document classification identifier with a document to be sent as a sent document using a digital scanner and transceiver;

(c) at said receiver;

(i) receiving said sent document with said at least one document classification identifier printed thereon;

(ii) reading and decoding said at least one document classification identifier on said sent document; and

(iii) processing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one processing step is a predefined step.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one processing step is a step defined by said receiver.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one processing step is selected from a group consisting of:

(a) storing a printed copy of said document in a document file;

(b) storing said document in a memory;

(c) storing a copy of said document in a second memory;

(d) sending a copy of said document to another recipient;

(e) printing said document;

(f) sending a confirmation message to the sender of said document;

(g) converting an image of said document into a text document;

(h) searching a text document for key words;

(i) creating index entries for said document;

(j) requiring that said document be encrypted;

(k) decoding an encrypted document;

(l) requiring that said document be sent in a specified format;

(m) requiring the use of specified scanner settings;

(n) requiring transmission of said document using a specified method;

(o) requiring that said document be sent from a specified location;

(p) requiring that said document identifier be entered before transmission of said document;

(q) requiring that a password be entered before transmission of said document;

(r) requiring that a public encryption key be entered before transmission of said document;

(s) requiring that a document be retransmitted if a transmission fails; and

(t) requiring that a digital watermark be placed in a document.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier further comprises the step of routing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of processing said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier further comprises the step of transforming said sent document according to processing steps associated with said at least one document classification identifier.