System and method to perform mobile printing from handheld devices

• US 7,424,479 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Truc
• Primary Examiner(s): Rimell; Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): KABIR, SHEIKH M
• Application Number:
  US11/073,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/2, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/1, 707/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications

Abstract

A system and method for printing a file on a remote printer via an electronic message. A personal electronic device transmits an electronic message requesting a listing of available electronic files. The personal electronic device then receives an electronic message in response to the request containing a list of available electronic files. At least one electronic file is then selected from among the listing of available files. The personal electronic device then receives, from the remote computer, an electronic message containing the selected electronic file. The personal electronic device then forwards the message containing the file to an image processing device.

Claims

1. A method for performing document processing operations on a remote image processing device comprising the steps of:

generating a request on a portable data device for identification of a plurality of electronic files located in a storage area associated with a selected computing device;

transmitting the request, via an ASCII list request message, to the selected computing device;

decoding, at the selected computing device, a received list request message into a file retrieval instruction;

retrieving, from the selected computing device, file data in accordance with the file retrieval instruction;

formatting file data into an ASCII list output message inclusive of identification data corresponding to retrieved file data;

receiving, via an ASCII list output message, the identification data representative of each of the plurality of electronic files located in the storage area associated with the selected computing device;

generating a display on the portable data device in accordance with received identification data;

generating selection data representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file selected in accordance with received identification data;

transmitting, via an ASCII request message, the selection data from the portable data device to the selected computing device;

generating a display of at least one document processing operation on the portable data device;

generating selection data representative of selection of at least one document processing operation;

transmitting document processing operation selection data from the portable data device to the selected computing device; and

directing, via an ASCII message from the portable data processing device to the selected computing device, a forwarding of the at least one electronic file from the selected computing device to an associated image processing device for document processing in accordance with each selected document processing operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting, from a list of image processing devices, an image processing device; and

transmitting, via an ASCII message, the at least one electronic file for document processing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identification data representative of each of the electronic files located in the storage area associated with the selected computing device is preselected by the selected computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

5. A method for performing remote document processing operations comprising the steps of:

receiving a request, via an ASCII list request message, at a selected computing device from an associated user via portable data device for identification of a plurality of electronic files located in a storage area associated with a selected computing device;

decoding, at the selected computing device, a received ASCII list request message into a file retrieval instruction;

retrieving, from the selected computing device, file data in accordance with the file retrieval instruction;

formatting file data into an ASCII list output message inclusive of identification data corresponding to retrieved file data;

transmitting, via an ASCII list output message, the identification data representative of each of the plurality of electronic files located in the selected storage area to the associated user via the portable data device;

generating a display on the portable data device in accordance with received identification data;

receiving selection data from the associated user representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file selected in accordance with received identification data;

generating a display of at least one document processing operation on the portable data device;

generating selection data representative of selection of at least one document processing operation;

receiving document processing operation selection data from the portable data device to the selected computing device;

retrieving the at least one electronic file from the storage area in response to the received selection data;

transmitting document processing operation selection data from the portable data device; and

transmitting the at least one electronic file, via an ASCII message, to at least one of the portable data device and an associated remote image processing device for document processing in accordance with each selected document processing operation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the portable data device, data representative of an amount of available associated memory;

determining a file size corresponding to the at least one requested electronic file, wherein the file size is larger than the amount of available associated memory; and

forwarding the at least one electronic file, via an ASCII message, to an associated image processing device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the portable data device includes a personal data assistant, a smart phone, and a combination cellular telephone/personal data assistant.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

9. A system for performing document processing operations on a remote image processing device comprising:

means adapted for generating a request on a portable data device for identification of a plurality of electronic files located in a storage area associated with a selected computing device;

means adapted for transmitting the request, via an ASCII list request message, to the selected computing device;

means adapted for decoding, at the selected computing device, a received SMS list request message into a file retrieval instruction;

means adapted for retrieving, from the selected computing device, file data in accordance with the file retrieval instruction;

means adapted for formatting file data into an ASCII list output message inclusive of identification data corresponding to retrieved file data;

means adapted for receiving, via an ASCII list output message, the identification data representative of each of the plurality of electronic files located in the selected storage area associated with the selected computing device;

means adapted for generating a display on the portable data device in accordance with received identification data;

means adapted for generating selection data representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file selected in accordance with received identification data;

means adapted for generating a display of at least one document processing operation on the portable data device;

means adapted for generating selection data representative of selection of at least one document processing operation;

means adapted for receiving document processing operation selection data from the portable data device to the selected computing device;

means adapted for transmitting, via an ASCII message, the selection data to the selected computing device;

means adapted for transmitting document processing operation selection data from the portable data device to the selected computing device; and

means adapted for directing, via an ASCII message from the portable data device to the selected computing device, a forwarding of the at least one electronic file from the selected computing device to an associated image processing device for document processing in accordance with the selected document processing operation.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means adapted for selecting, from a list of image processing devices, an image processing device; and

means adapted for transmitting, via an ASCII message, the at least one electronic file for document processing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identification data representative of each of the electronic files located in the storage area associated with the selected computing device is preselected by the selected computing device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.

13. A system for performing remote document processing operations comprising:

means adapted for receiving a request, via an ASCII list request message, at a selected computing device from an associated user via portable data device for identification of a plurality of electronic files located in a storage area associated with a selected computing device;

means adapted for decoding, at the selected computing device, a received ASCII list request message into a file retrieval instruction;

means adapted for retrieving, from the selected computing device, file data in accordance with the file retrieval instruction;

means adapted for formatting file data into an ASCII list output message inclusive of identification data corresponding to retrieved file data;

means adapted for transmitting, via an ASCII list output message, the identification data representative of each of the plurality of electronic files located in the the storage area to the associated user via a portable data device;

means adapted for generating a display on the portable data device in accordance with received identification data;

means adapted for receiving selection data from the associated user representative of identification data associated with at least one electronic file selected in accordance with received identification data;

means adapted for generating a display of at least one document processing operation on the portable data device;

means adapted for generating selection data representative of selection of at least one document processing operation;

means adapted for receiving document processing operation selection data from the portable data device to the selected computing device

means adapted for retrieving the at least one electronic file from the storage area in response to the received selection data;

means adapted for transmitting document processing operation selection data from the portable data device; and

means adapted for transmitting the at least one electronic file, via an ASCII message, to at least one of an associated portable data device and an associated remote image processing device for document processing in accordance with each selected document processing operation.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means adapted for receiving, from the portable data device, data representative of an amount of available associated memory;

means adapted for determining a file size corresponding to the at least one requested electronic file, wherein the file size is larger than the amount of available associated memory; and

means adapted for forwarding the at least one electronic file, via an ASCII message, to an associated image processing device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the portable data device includes a personal data assistant, a smart phone, and a combination cellular telephone/personal data assistant.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the image processing device includes a facsimile device, a copying device, a scanning device, a printing device, and a multifunction peripheral device.