Data analysis provider system

• US 7,269,619 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Fukazawa, Koshi, Kojima, Atsushi, Furukawa, Akihiro, Ohara, Kiyotaka, Hibino, Masaaki, Nogawa, Hideki, Matsumoto, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa
• Application Number:
  US10/107,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709200-201, 709217-227, 715/526, 715/730, 715/733, 715/746
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A data analysis provider system includes a client device and a data analysis provider both capable of two-way transmission. The client device transmits either target-of-analysis data or information relating to the target-of-analysis data to the data analysis provider. Additionally, the client device notifies the data analysis provider of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data. The data analysis provider receives the target-of-analysis data or information relating to the target-of-analysis data transmitted from the client device and confirms the desired process. Then, the data analysis provider prepares response data that enables the client device to perform the desired process and transmits the response data to the client device. The client device receives the response data from the data analysis provider.

Claims

1. A data analysis provider system comprising:

a client device and a data analysis provider both capable of two-way transmission, the client device and the data analysis provider being connected to each other through a network, the client device including;

a target-of-analysis information transmission unit that transmits at least one of target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data to the data analysis provider;

a desired process notification unit that notifies the data analysis provider of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data;

a response data reception unit that receives response data from the data analysis provider; and

a processing capability notification unit that notifies the data analysis provider about a processing capability of the client device; and

the data analysis provider including;

a target-of-analysis information reception unit that receives the at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data transmitted from the target-of-analysis information transmission unit of the client device;

a desired process confirming unit that confirms the desired process notified by the desired process notification unit of the client device;

a response unit that prepares response data that enables the client device to perform the desired process confirmed by the desired process confirming unit; and

a response data transmission unit that transmits the response data to the client device, wherein the response unit;

performs analysis of the processing capability of the client device and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis; and

prepares the response data according to the result.

2. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target-of-analysis data is a document.

3. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the desired process notification unit of the client device notifies that the desired process is to print out the target-of-analysis data;

the processing capability notification unit of the client device notifies the data analysis provider about printer attributes; and

the response unit of the data analysis provider uses the received target-of-analysis data to generate, as response data, print data that is in a form printable by a printer with the printer attributes notified by the processing capability notification unit.

4. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the client device further includes:

a memory that stores the target-of-analysis data; and

a target-of-analysis data deletion unit that automatically deletes the target-of-analysis data when the response data reception unit receives the response data from the data analysis provider.

5. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the desired process notification unit notifies the data analysis provider that the desired process is to display the target-of-analysis data;

the processing capability notification unit of the client device notifies the data analysis provider about resources of the client device; and

the response unit of the data analysis provider uses the received target-of-analysis data to generate, as response data, data that is in a form that can be displayed using the resources notified by the processing capability notification unit.

6. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the client device further includes:

a memory that stores the target-of-analysis data; and

a target-of-analysis data deletion unit that automatically deletes the target-of-analysis data when the response data reception unit, receives the response data, from the data analysis provider.

7. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the desired process notification unit of the client device notifies that the desired process is to print out the target-of-analysis data;

the processing capability notification unit of the client device notifies the data analysis provider about printer attributes; and

the response unit of the data analysis provider prepares, as response data, a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form printable by a printer with the printer attributes notified by the processing capability notification unit.

8. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the desired process notification unit of the client device notifies that the desired process is to display the target-of-analysis data;

the processing capability notification unit of the client device notifies the data analysis provider about resources of the client device; and

the response unit of the data analysis provider prepares, as response data, a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using the resources notified by the processing capability notification unit.

9. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the desired process notification unit of the client device notifies that the desired process is to print out the target-of-analysis data;

the processing capability notification unit of the client device notifies the data analysis provider about printer attributes and resources of the client device; and

the response unit of the data analysis provider judges whether the response data is preferably print data that is in a form printable by a printer with the printer attributes notified by the processing capability notification unit or a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form printable by a printer with the printer attributes notified by the processing capability notification unit, and prepares the response data accordingly.

10. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the client device further includes:

a memory that stores the target-of-analysis data; and

a target-of-analysis data deletion unit that automatically deletes the target-of-analysis data when the response data reception unit receives the response data from the data analysis provider.

11. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the desired process notification unit of the client device notifies that the desired process is to display the target-of-analysis data;

the processing capability notification unit of the client device notifies the data analysis provider about printer attributes and resources of the client device; and

the response unit of the data analysis provider judges whether the response data is preferably data that is in a form that can be displayed using the resources notified by the processing capability notification unit or a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using the resources notified by the processing capability notification unit, and prepares the response data accordingly.

12. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the client device further includes:

a memory that stores the target-of-analysis data; and

a target-of-analysis data deletion unit that automatically deletes the target-of-analysis data when the response data reception unit receives the response data from the data analysis provider.

13. A data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the target-of-analysis information transmission unit transmits header information of the target-of-analysis data; and

the response unit confirms characteristics of the target-of-analysis data by analyzing the header information.

14. The data analysis provider system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target-of-analysis information transmission unit is capable of transmitting a software capability of the client device to the data analysis provider, and

the process capability confirming unit confirms the client device'"'"'s software capability notified by the processing capability notification unit of the client device.

15. A data analysis provider capable of two-way transmission with a client device through a network, the data analysis provider comprising:

a target-of-analysis information reception unit that receives a processing capability of the client device and at least one of target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data transmitted from the client device;

a desired process confirming unit that confirms a desired process notified by the client device;

a response unit that prepares response data that enables the client device to perform the desired process confirmed by the desired process confirming unit; and

a response data transmission unit that transmits the response data to the client device, wherein the response unit;

performs analysis of the processing capability of the client device and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis; and

prepares the response data according to the result.

16. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 15, wherein the target-of-analysis data is a document.

17. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 15, wherein the data analysis provider further includes a process capability confirming unit that confirms client device'"'"'s processing capability notified by the client device, the response unit preparing the response data based on both the desired process and the client device'"'"'s processing capability.

18. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 17, wherein the response unit uses the received target-of-analysis data to generate, as response data, print data that is in a form printable by a printer with printer attributes notified by the client device.

19. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 17, wherein the response unit uses the received target-of-analysis data to generate, as response data, data that is in a form that can be displayed using resources notified by the client device.

20. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 17, wherein the response unit prepares, as response data, a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form printable by a printer with printer attributes notified by the client device.

21. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 17, wherein the response unit prepares, as response data, a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using resources notified by the client device.

22. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 17, wherein the response unit judges whether the response data is preferably print data that is in a form printable by a printer with printer attributes notified by the client device or a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form printable by a printer with printer attributes notified by the client device, and prepares the response data accordingly.

23. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 17, wherein the response unit judges whether the response data is preferably data that is in a form that can be displayed using resources notified by the client device or a conversion module for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using resources notified by the client device, and prepares the response data accordingly.

24. A data analysis provider as claimed in claim 15, wherein the response unit confirms characteristics of the target-of-analysis data by analyzing header information transmitted from the client device.

25. The data analysis provider as claimed in claim 15, wherein the process capability confirming unit confirms the client device'"'"'s software capability notified by the processing capability notification unit of the client device.

26. A method of analyzing target-of-analysis data in a client device of a system including the client device and a data analysis provider, the method comprising:

transmitting a processing capability of the client device and at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data to the data analysis provider;

notifying the data analysis provider of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data;

performing analysis of the processing capability of the client device and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis at the data analysis provider; and

receiving, from the data analysis provider, response data according to the result.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the target-of-analysis data is a document.

28. A method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising notifying the data analysis provider about the client device'"'"'s processing capability, wherein the step of receiving the response data includes receiving response data that the data analysis provider prepared based on the notified client device'"'"'s processing capability.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider of the desired process includes notifying that the desired process is to print out the target-of-analysis data;

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider about the client device s processing capability includes notifying the data analysis provider about printer attributes; and

instruction for receiving the response data includes receiving print data generated by the data analysis provider in a form printable by a printer with the notified printer attributes.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a step of automatically deleting the target-of-analysis data from the client device after receiving the response data from the data analysis provider.

31. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider of the desired process includes notifying that the desired process is to display the target-of-analysis data;

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider about the client device'"'"'s processing capability includes notifying the data analysis provider about resources of the client device; and

instruction for receiving the response data includes receiving data generated by the data analysis provider in a form that can be displayed using the notified resources of the client device.

32. A method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising a step of automatically deleting the target-of-analysis data from the client device after receiving the response data from the data analysis provider.

33. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider of the desired process includes notifying that the desired process is to print out the target-of-analysis data;

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider about the client device'"'"'s processing capability includes notifying the data analysis provider about printer attributes; and

instruction for receiving the response data includes receiving a conversion module prepared by the data analysis provider for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form printable by a printer with the notified printer attributes.

34. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider of the desired process includes notifying that the desired process is to display the target-of-analysis data;

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider about the client device'"'"'s processing capability includes notifying the data analysis provider about resources of the client device; and

instruction for receiving the response data includes receiving a conversion module prepared by the data analysis provider for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using the notified resources of the client device.

35. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider of the desired process includes notifying that the desired process is to print out the target-of-analysis data;

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider about the client device'"'"'s processing capability includes notifying the data analysis provider about printer attributes and resources of the client device; and

instruction for receiving the response data includes receiving, depending on which is judged to be most appropriate, either a conversion module prepared by the data analysis provider for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using the notified resources of the client device or print data that is in a form printable by a printer with the notified printer attributes.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a step of automatically deleting the target-of-analysis data from the client device after receiving the response data from the data analysis provider.

37. A method as claimed in claim 28, wherein:

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider of the desired process includes notifying that the desired process is to display the target-of-analysis data;

instruction for notifying the data analysis provider about the client device'"'"'s processing capability includes notifying the data analysis provider about printer attributes and resources of the client device; and

instruction for receiving the response data includes receiving, depending on which is judged to be most appropriate, either a conversion module prepared by the data analysis provider for converting the target-of-analysis data into a form that can be displayed using the notified resources of the client device or data that is in a form that can be displayed using the notified resources of the client device.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37, further comprising a step of automatically deleting the target-of-analysis data from the client device after receiving the response data from the data analysis provider.

39. The method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

transmitting the client device'"'"'s software capability to the data analysis provider.

40. A method of analyzing target-of-analysis data in a terminal of a system including the terminal and a host, the method comprising:

transmitting a processing capability of the terminal and at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data to the host;

notifying the host of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data;

performing analysis of the processing capability of the terminal and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis at the host; and

receiving, from the host, response data according to the result.

41. A computer program recorded on a computer readable recording medium, executable by a computer, comprising:

instructions for analyzing target-of-analysis data in the computer system, the computer program, comprising;

instructions for transmitting a processing capability of a terminal and at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data to a host;

instructions for notifying the host of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data;

instructions for performing analysis of the processing capability of the terminal and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis at the host; and

instructions for receiving, from the host, response data according to the result.

42. A computer program recorded on a computer readable recording medium, executable by a computer, comprising:

a storage medium, and a processor for analyzing target-of-analysis data at a host of a computer system, the program computer code comprising;

instructions for receiving, at the host, a processing capability of a terminal and at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data;

instructions for receiving, at the host, notification of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data at the terminal;

instructions for performing analysis of the processing capability of the terminal and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis at the host; and

instructions for transmitting, from the host, response data according to the result.

43. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program executed by a computer for analyzing target-of-analysis data in a terminal of a system including the terminal and a host, the program comprising:

instructions for transmitting a processing capability of the terminal and at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data to the host;

instructions for notifying the host of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data;

instructions for performing analysis of the processing capability of the terminal and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis at the host; and

instructions for receiving, from the host, response data according to the result.

44. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program executed by a computer for analyzing target-of-analysis data at a host of a system including a terminal and the host, the program comprising:

instructions for receiving, at the host, a processing capability of the terminal and at least one of the target-of-analysis data and information relating to the target-of-analysis data;

instructions for receiving, at the host, notification of a desired process to be performed on the target-of-analysis data at the terminal;

instructions for performing analysis of the processing capability of the terminal and a processing capability required for the desired process to obtain a result of the analysis at the host; and

instructions for transmitting, from the host, response data according to the result.